A World Apart
by Moneybags
Summary: *formerly known as the Time Travel Story, thanks to SAM it ha a title. i am still taking suggestions, lol* isn't the title obvious enough? a few friends and me go back in time!!!
1. Author's Note

Title: Suggestions welcome!!  
  
Author: ME!! Moneybags!  
  
Email: babygrand917@yahoo.com  
  
Feedback?: Yes Please!!! READ and REVIEW!  
  
Rating: PG, I'm gonna try and keep it this way . might end up PG-13 though.  
  
Summary: Me and my friends go back in time .  
  
People in this: Stress, Holiday, Illusion, Hades, Dragonfly, Aki, Spin, Airy, Chipper, Bookie, Raider, Tunes, Mist, Frizz, Nightingale, Martini, Cane, Caleb Timber's character, Smirks, Oriole Smirk's character, Punk, Rae. *whew* I think that's everyone.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the newsies, even though I wish I did. I DO own Hawk, and I am *borrowing* Fish yeah, I guess he'd be a newsie . Technically he is in the movie, the Brooklyn newsie that pulls himself out of the water and says "going somewhere Kelly?" but anyway . Stress owns Stress, Holiday owns Holiday, Illusion owns Illusion, Hades owns Hades and Dragonfly owns Dragonfly, Aki owns Aki, Spin owns Spin and Airy, Chipper owns Chipper, Bookie owns Bookie, Raider owns Raider, Tunes owns Tunes, Mist owns Mist, Timber owns Caleb, Frizz owns Frizz, Nightingale owns Nightingale, Martini owns Martini, Cane owns Cane, Smirks owns Smirks and Oriole, Punk owns Punk, and Rae owns Rae. Sarah, Michele, Becca, Janet, Sam and Laura own themselves (they aren't on the list, well Becca is now) and I own Dianna. Whew! I think that is it. 


	2. Chapter 1

"So she's coming up tomorrow?" Dianna was on the phone with her good friend, Janet.

"Yeah, and then sometime this weekend we can go to the mall and all hang out. We should see if Michele and Sarah wanna come." Janet told Dianna. Her cousin, Becca, was coming up to visit Janet for the summer.

"I can't wait to meet Becca, we've talked online, and she likes Newsies. That's the best part!" Dianna thought about what she was doing this weekend. Nothing, it seemed as of now. "I'll see if Sarah and Michele wanna come to the mall and hang out … when? This Saturday?"

"Sounds good, I have to work in the morning, and I'll be done by 1." Janet looked around her room. "Okay, I have to clean my room, because Becca will be here tomorrow."

"You mean you're actually going to clean it?" 

"Shut up." Silence. 

"Yeah, I should probably do my Saturday work today. But I'll call you back after I talk to Sarah and Michele."

"Okay, I'll be here."

Dianna hung up the phone and looked out the window. It was really hot today, _Maybe I'll go swimming today …but I'll get my work done first, so I don't have to do it tomorrow. First, to call Sarah._ She picked up the phone, and dialed Sarah's number. "Hello, this is Dianna, is Sarah there?"

"Yes, let me go find her." Came Mrs. Nilsen's voice. "Sarah!" Her voice could be heard from in the distance, and then Sarah's voice came on the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey Sarah!" Dianna said into the phone as she got out the broom and started sweeping the kitchen floor.

"Hi Dianna. Sup?" Sarah said as they laughed.

"Are you smiling?" Dianna could hear Sarah smiling on the other end.

"Yeah…" came the reply, and Sarah couldn't help but smile.

"I was wondering of you wanted to go to the mall, I was gonna ask Michele if she wanted to come, maybe we could have one of those sleepovers at my house. My mom said that she'd drive us there, and back." Dianna proposed. She'd just have to ask her mom if Michele could sleep over, but chances were in her favor, and Dianna was sure that she'd have no problem convincing her mom to do it.

"Hmm, let me think, I'll have to ask my mom. I'll call you back. Are you sure it's ok with your mom?" Sarah just had to ask her parents, who shouldn't have a problem with it.

"Yeah, I'm sure it's okay." Dianna said a little louder, over the running water.

"Ok, I'll call you back." Sarah paused. "What is that noise?"

"Huh?" Dianna looked around. "Oh, it's the water running, I'm washing the floor now.

"Ohh. Well I'll call you right back. Bye!"

As soon as they hung up, Dianna dialed Michele's phone number, and hoped someone would pick up the phone. 

After 4 rings, Bethany, Michele's younger sister, picked up. "Hello?"

"Hey, this is Dianna, is Michele there?" Dianna waited for an answer.

"Yeah, she'll be right there." Within the next couple seconds, Michele picked up. "Hello?" Came her voice, bright as usual.

"Hey, Michele? This is Dianna-" 

"Oh, hey Dianna! What's up?"

"Oh, nothing much, just wanted to know of you wanted to sleep over tomorrow night and go to the mall on Saturday. Sarah was going to sleep over, and Janet wanted me to go to the mall with her on Saturday, and I figured that we all might be able to go. And Janet's cousin, Becca, is coming up to visit." Dianna took a deep breath, hoping that she covered everything. "And my mom can bring us there and back."

"Well, it sounds like fun, can I call you back around 6? My mom should be home then and then I can tell you."

"Okay, no problem. I would stay and talk, but I'm doing my work, and I'm waiting for Sarah to call me back."

"Okay, talk to you then!" 

As soon as Dianna hung up and finished mopping the floor, the phone rang again. "Hello?" 

"Hi Dianna, it's Sarah."

"Hey! What did your mom say?"

"She said it was fine, just not to spend all my money at the mall."

"Okay. Michele is going to call me back, and I forgot to tell you one thing, we're going to meet Janet at the mall. And Janet is bringing her cousin, Becca, and we're all going to hang out, maybe see a movie. Is that alright?"

"Yeah, that's fine. What movies do you want me to bring…"

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*2 hours later, around 6:30*

Dianna was all done doing her chores, and waiting for Michele to call her back. As if on cue, the phone rang. "Hello?"

"Hey Dianna, it's Michele."

"Hey! Did your mom say yes?"

"Yup. What time do you want me there tomorrow night?"

"Well, if you want to go swimming, come on over early, I think Sarah is coming over around 6, 6:30. But eat before you come, that way we have more pool time."

"Okay, I might be a little later though…"

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That evening was pretty uneventful for the girls, Janet was busy cleaning her room while she was on the phone with Dianna, Michele was getting annoyed by Kimmy and Bethany, and Sarah was online talking to this kid who was stalking her. Becca was getting ready for her trip tomorrow, packing and hopefully soon, sleeping. 

The next day, everything seemed to go to plan. Becca got to Janet's house around 3 p.m., and everything was set to go at Dianna's house. Laura, Dianna's sister, was being her annoying usual self, and had just informed her that mom was letting her have a friend come over. 

"Not Sam again!" Dianna really didn't like Sam at first, but the more she came over, the more Dianna got used to Sam. The last time she was over, she watched Newsies, Dianna's all time favorite movie, and Sam loved it! So maybe this time won't be so bad … 

"Yup! And mom says that we are going to go to the mall with you tomorrow." Laura just liked shoving things in Dianna's face. They were sisters, after all.

"Fine, but I already have the basement saved for me Sarah and Michele."

All right…" Laura stopped as she heard Mom calling her name.

"Laura!" she yelled from the top of the stairs, "you have to clean your room or you're not having Sam come over!"

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Around 6:35 Sarah came over, and not long, Michele followed Sarah inside. "So … you guys have your bathing suits on?"

"Yeah, can't wait to get in … do you still have that ball, we can play volleyball again!" Michele asked, her blonde hair swishing as she followed Dianna and Sarah outside.

"Yeah … it's around here somewhere…" Sarah said, looking for it.

"There it is, over by the fence." Dianna went over to get it, and then throwing it in the pool. C'mon we don't have all night! Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you, but Laura is having a friend come over, Sam. I don't know if you guys met her yet … she should be here soon."

And so the 3 girls jumped into the pool, and continued to swim until about 7:15, when Laura's friend Sam arrived. "Hey Dianna! Didja miss me?" Sam called to Dianna, who was still in the pool.

"You again?" Dianna was famous for her sarcastic comments; Laura had proudly nicknamed her Skittery's Twin, because they were both pessimists. "Just kidding Sam!" Dianna said, because she saw the shocked look on Sam's face.

"You are so mean!" Sam called out. By know she knew to just ignore Dianna's comments, because she was sarcastic and a joker.

Sarah and Michele welcomed Sam, and now that there were 5 of them, they had enough people to get a good volleyball game started. They had help, of course, from the newsies. So far Dianna had gotten many people hooked on Newsies, even her sister. So one night when it was just Dianna and Laura in the pool, they started to make teams with the newsies. And so now they were doing the same thing. Sarah, Laura and Sam were a team, and Michele and Dianna. Each girl had their respectful newsie, Sarah had Jack, Laura had Snipeshooter, Sam had Spot she only watched it once, and Spot was her fave. . Michele had Mush, and Dianna had Race. And all of the other newsies were dispersed throughout the two teams.

This lasted for a while, but before they knew it, it was 10:30 and Dianna and Laura's Mom was calling them in. "If you all want to go to the mall tomorrow, then you have to get out now, and be in bed by 12."

This got the girls out, because they all really wanted to go to the mall. They got out of the pool, locked the gate and turned out the lights. They stayed outside for about 5 minutes, so they weren't dripping wet. "So, do you guys wanna watch a movie with us?" Sarah suggested. 

"Fine with me." Dianna said. She and Laura were getting along now, normally she would have said no, but tonight was different.

"Yeah, me too." Said Michele. Laura is cool, why not?

"I wanna watch Newsies again!!" Sam whined playfully. Laura just rolled her eyes, but made no objection. Deep down (I mean REALLY deep down) Laura loved Newsies … she just couldn't admit it to anyone, not even herself.

Dianna's brown eyes light up. "Yay!! Okay, old version or new version?"

"The old version!" Michele chipped in. "Because that has mush doing his pelvic thrust!"

"Okay!! Once we're dry and inside, I'll go get it. Meet me in the basement. And if I don't come back, then that means that the toilet monster got me. Don't come looking for me, he's dangerous."

Sam cracked up, and everyone else just kind of looked at Dianna funny. Not that they don't do that anyway, but that is besides the point. But then they were dry, well not dry, but not dripping wet, and they, minus Dianna, went downstairs to get the basement ready. Dianna ran upstairs to get the old version of Newsies, and hurried back downstairs. 

"Yay! He didn't get you!" cried Sam.

"Well, actually, he isn't there. He's on the move, be on the lookout tonight."

"Enough talk, just put the movie in!" Laura went to go sit down on the couch. 

"For someone who doesn't like Newsies," Dianna commented as she put in the video, "you sure are in a hurry to watch it."

"Now girls," Sarah butted in, "be nice."

"Yes master." Dianna said, as Michele laughed, and Sarah turned serious.

"I'm not really like that, am I?" Sarah hated being called "master" and did everything to avoid it.

"No Sarah, I was just kidding." Dianna said, fast-forwarding the movie. "Since everyone here has seen this at least once, I guess we can talk, right?"

"Sure, why not?" Michele said.

"Okay," Dianna hit play on the VCR. "here's the drug-free commercial." 

All during the movie, Laura would say most of the lines along with the movie, Michele would pop up every time Mush came on the screen, Sarah tried to stay awake (she loves the movie, she just can't stay awake for anything.) Sam was glued to the screen, and Dianna threw skittles at the screen when any bad guy came on and would flinch when they hit Race at the rally, and loved the whole movie. At the end of the movie, Sarah had fallen asleep, and everyone else was really tired, so everybody ended up sleeping down in the basement.

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"Dianna!!" A voice belonging to her mother called down to the basement. "What time did you plan on leaving for the mall?"

Dianna jolted awake at the sound of her mother's voice. "What time is it?" she called out hoarsely.

"It's 10:30 and you still have to eat and get ready. I would like to leave here by 1."

"That's okay, Janet doesn't get out of work till one, so we could even leave a little later." Dianna stumbled out of her blankets, which were one the floor. She always had to sleep on the floor, because the couches were too short.

"Okay, well you better get up and see what your friends want for breakfast." 

"Okay … I'll go check." Dianna walked back to the "sleeping area," where Sarah and Michele were on couches, and Laura and Sam were sleeping in sleeping bags. "guys!" Dianna called out, seeing who would wake up first. 

Turns out it was Sarah, who answered with a mumbled "what?" 

Dianna continued to talk loud until everyone was up, and they had answered her question. "So, what do you guys want for breakfast?"

"What do you have?" asked Michele, who was still waking up, and stretching.

"Umm … pancakes, eggs, cereal, French Toast, your pick." Dianna hoped that they had pancake mix.

"Make us pancakes!" Sam said, suddenly becoming very awake.

"All right, but you guys better come up, and don't wait for the smell!" Dianna trudged up the stairs, nearly tripping. "Watch out for that bump!" And she went upstairs to go start the pancakes.

Sarah and Michele didn't wait for the smell, just as Dianna found the mix, they both came up. "Where are your brothers?" Michele asked.

"They went somewhere with Mr. Filan … they should be back after we leave for the mall." Dianna's Mom said as she drank her morning coffee. 

"Good morning, Mrs. Filan." Sarah said as she looked around for something to do. "What do you need help with, Dianna?"

"Do you guys want to set the table?" Dianna looked up briefly from the pancake mix. "Everything is up in this cabinet and that drawer." She pointed to the respectful cabinet and drawer.

Laura and Sam didn't come up until the smelled the smell. Actually Sam smelled the smell, and then woke Laura back up, who fell asleep. When they got upstairs, they found that there were many pancakes and a nicely set table, with Sarah, Michele, Dianna and Mrs. Filan all sitting down at it, eating their breakfast. "Hurry up girls, it's getting cold." Mrs. Filan said, and soon everybody was done.

By the time they were are all done eating, it was 11:30, which meant that they only had 1 ½ hours to clean up and get ready. So some of the girls took showers, and got dressed and cleaned up, which did take them an hour and a half to complete. Just as they were about ready to leave, Dianna's phone rang.

She ran to go get it, pick up and said "Hello? … hey …are you still going to go? … okay, just wondering …yeah I can't wait either! … where are we going to meet? Okay … see you there. Bye!" Dianna ran out to the car where everyone was waiting. "That was Janet, she and Becca are running late, but they are still going. She said to meet them in the middle of the mall at 1:45."

And so without further interruptions, the made it to the Rockaway Mall, in less than 30 minutes.

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"Hey Becca, are you almost ready? We gotta leave in like 5 minutes." Janet knocked on the bathroom room, and ran back to her room, just to straighten her hair and fix her make-up. 

"Okay, I' m coming!" Becca shouted from the bathroom. In 2 minutes she opened the door, and rushed back into Janet's room to get her purse. "Okay, I'm ready."

"Yeah … I'll be in 2 seconds, could you go downstairs and look for my purse? It should be on the table." 

Becca went downstairs to the kitchen. "Yeah, it's here and so are your keys!" she voiced to Janet.

"Okay, I'm coming!" Janet said, running down the stairs. "My car is out in the driveway." Becca followed Janet out to her car and got in. Soon they were on their way to the Rockaway Mall, and made it there in no time.

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"So," Sarah questioned the group, "What are we going to do until Janet and Becca get here?"

"Well, me and Sam are going to walk around," Laura started, pulling Sam away. "See you guys later!" 

"Before you guys leave, we should decide on a meeting spot." Mom replied. "How bout 6 o'clock, in the center of the mall."

"Okay, that's fine," Michele responded. "I think we were going to see a movie, if any were still playing."

"Okay, see everyone at 6." Dianna mentioned. And so Laura and Sam went to go get smoothies, Michele and Sarah and Dianna went to go see what movies were playing, and Mom went to go shop at JCPennys. 

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Janet and Becca had just pulled in the parking lot, and hurried into the mall. "What time is it?" Becca asked.

"Umm …" Janet checked her watch. "1:40. We still have a little time, no need to run."

"Okay." Becca said, holding the door open for Janet. "Lead the way!"

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Dianna, Sarah and Michele were on their way to the Movie Theater when Michele remembered that they were supposed meet Janet and her cousin in the mall. So the trio stopped and sat down on the steps and waited.

Not long after, Dianna spotted Janet with another girl, that looked a little younger version of Janet, who everyone assumed was Becca. "Janet!!!" Dianna shouted, and Sarah and Michele and Dianna got up and walked over to Janet and Becca.

"Michele, Sarah and Dianna, this," Janet motioned to Becca, "is Becca."

"Hey Becca!!!!" Dianna jumped up and down. 

"Dianna!" Becca gave Dianna a hug. "Nice to finally see you in person!" 

"Yeah, I never thought that I'd actually meet you!!" Dianna replied. Janet introduced Becca to Sarah and Michele. "So, what do you guys want to do? Not much to do in New Jersey, much less Jefferson. We were on our way to go check out what movies are playing, I still haven't seen Scooby-Doo." 

"You have to see that!!! It's such a good movie, and I love Matthew!!" Becca advised. Everyone agreed, and they all headed over to the Movie Theater. When they arrived, the group went to go see what movies were playing. 

"The Borne Identity, K-19, Men In Black 2, Star Wars Episode II, Mr. Deeds, Minority Report, Lilo and Stitch, Stuart Little 2, Spiderman and Scooby-Doo." Sarah read off all of the movies that were playing. "Which one did you guys want to see?"

"Did you guys want to see Scooby-Doo?" Janet questioned. "All of the others are pretty recent, and Scooby-Doo has been out for a while so we'll definitely get into that one. And we still have an hour till it starts."

"Sounds good to me," Sarah answered. "I haven't seen that many movies this year, whatever you guys want."

"I'm up for it, it looks cute." Michele put her two cents in, and made sure she had enough money.

"Okay, then we'll see that one?" Dianna asked. "It's fine with me, and I'm not gonna even ask Becca." Dianna smiled, and looked at Becca. 

"Nope, I love this movie!!!" Becca laughed. So the quintet five, right? went in line to go get their tickets. After they got them, they realized that they still had a whole hour to kill. 

"So what are we going to do until then?" Janet asked. "Do you guys just wanna walk around?"

"I need to get more film for when I go to Texas, I'm leaving in like 2 weeks." Dianna thought. "No, three weeks. But I still want to take lots of pictures."

"Anybody else need to do something?" Janet inquired.

"Yeah, I need to return this shirt at Old Navy. It has a hole in it, I'm so mad!!" Michele pointed to her backpack. "It's in there, I didn't feel like leaving my stuff in the car."

"Okay, we can do that too. To CVS!" Sarah walked toward the respected store. After the group had done all their 'errands' they headed back to the movies. They got there just in time, 10 minutes later and they wouldn't have been on time. "Anybody want Popcorn? Or Soda?" 

"I'll have some, and I'll wait on line with you." Dianna said, walking over to the line. 

"Could you get us some Butter Popcorn?" Janet asked Dianna and handed her a 5-dollar bill. 

"Sure." Dianna took it. "You guys go on and head on into the theater and save us seats, okay?"" Janet nodded and went to the gate. The line moved up, and Dianna and Sarah were next. "So, we'll get 2 large butter popcorn, and what about drinks?"

"They said that they didn't want any, but I'm going to get one." Sarah moved up in the line and ordered the popcorn and a drink. Dianna ordered a large drink and large popcorn. 

"All set?" Dianna walked up to Sarah who was already in line to get in the movies. "thanks for waiting for me!" 

"Oh, I'm sorry Dianna!"

"It's okay, I was just kidding." Dianna passed through the line. "Now to find Scooby-Doo."

"There it is!" Sarah pointed to number 4. 

"Look, you're right!" Dianna acted shocked.

"And why wouldn't I be?" Sarah knew she was just kidding, Dianna did that a lot. The movie still hadn't started, and Sarah and Dianna found Janet and everyone else with out a problem. 

"I thought we were going to be the only ones here!" Dianna complained, as soon as she got to her seat. 

"where are they?" Janet looked around.

"Over there!" Dianna pointed to her left.

"That's your sister and her friend, moron." Janet laughed. "Laura, come on over here! We don't bite!" Janet yelled, then added under her breath, "… hard."

Laura figured what the heck, we might as well … so her and Sam went over to join the big group, making it a sextuplet. And before anyone could say anything, the movie started.

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Now all during the movie, the girls noticed things happening, like the theater kept on getting more people in it, there were flecks of black and white across the screen, and the sound was horrible. Their costumes in the movie kept on changing, until the whole movie turned into a horrible (for them at least) movie. By the end, the girls had given each other really weird looks, the movie had turned into some sappy black and white film, if you could call it a film. There were no words, only music. The theater was crowed and cramped, and it kind of smelled. When the closing credits appeared on the screen and the lights came on, the sextuplet couldn't believe their eyes.

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	3. Chapter 2

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"NO way …" Dianna's eyes grew wide and she broke into a smile. 

"It can't be happening …" Janet said, looking around for a reasonable excuse.

"But …but …how?" Becca puzzled.

"Oh, GREAT!" sighed Laura, rolling her eyes. "Just what I need …"

"Hey, what happened to the theater?" It could take a while for Sam to catch on, even to things as obvious as this.

"Hey Sarah, we couldn't have … could we?" Michele thought out loud.

"I'm just as confused as you." Sarah turned to look at Dianna, who looked like she was ready to scream. "Dianna! Don't attract any more attention then we need!!" Dianna looked hurt. "Look at the way we are dressed! Now look at the way everyone else is dressed, they are going to think we're sluts or something."

"She's got a point." Becca added.

"I guess … okay, I won't scream. But can I jump up and down?" Dianna squealed, getting excited again.

"No!" this is probably just a joke …" Michele disappointedly said, looking around. 

"Well it's an expensive joke then." Dianna retorted.

"I don't know … but we can't stay in here, we have to get out, and then decide. People are going to start to wonder." Janet suggested.

"Like they haven't already." Laura grabbed her purse and slung it over her shoulder. "Hey, at least if we're stuck here, then you," she pointed to Michele, "still have another pair of clothes."

"That's right! And you can buy SOO much more with money now. Just think, 5 bucks can get us through a week at least!" Dianna commented, glad that she had brought all of her money with her.

"Well, this place is almost empty, let's go." Sarah said, lowering her voice.

So they headed outside, only to find that everything was completely different. No typical movie theater parking lot, instead just a busy road, filled with horse-and-cart wagons, and tons of busy people. They tried to stay together, but they got separated. Janet, Becca, Sam and Dianna made it across the street, while Sarah, Michele and Laura got swept into the crowd. "We gotta find them!!!" Dianna started to say, but was cut off by someone tapping her on her shoulder.

"But me las' pape, miss?" A voice coughed.

"No-" Dianna started to say, but then abruptly changed her mind. "Why, sure, I'd love to." Dianna fished around in her pocket for a penny. "Got one!" she pulled it out, and bought his 'last paper'. He quickly hurried off, and Becca, Janet and Sam looked at her like she was crazy.

"What ever made you do that?" Sam asked.

"Now we know the date, and we know what's happening this time in history." Dianna smiled, knowing that she had done the smart thing, for once.

"Good move!" Becca said, reaching for the paper. "June 14, 1900."

"So it's a year after the strike. I wonder how much has changed." Janet calculated.

"Well, almost a year." Interrupted Dianna. "Not quite."

"Shut up." Janet opened up the paper, skimming for headlines. "Loser."

"Did you recognize the newsie who sold you the pape?" Becca asked, then looked off into space.

"Wondering if it was Spot?" Janet folded up the paper, and stood up on her tiptoes. The crowd had left, or so it seemed. "We gotta find Sarah Michele and Laura. They were headed down thata way, wanna start walking?"

"Sure! A tour of …Manhattan?" Sam got that confused look on her face again.

"I'm not sure, but if I see any random newsie I'll ask him." Dianna looked more than happy to.

So the group started walking down the street, until they passed the building that they watched the movie in. "You would think that they'd be around here someplace …" Sam wondered. 

"Yeah, hopefully they won't be far." Dianna was still flabbergasted about actually being here. _Maybe I'm just knocked out cold … and I don't even realize it,_ she thought to herself.

"Excuse me, ladies." A teenage boy came up and said to all of them. He looked like a typical newsie, a stack of papers in his arm, a hat, and the newsie style clothes. "Are you'se lookin' far someone?"

"Yeah," Janet answered. "do you know where I might find three girls, about our age?"

"Are dey lookin' like you'se?"

"Like our clothes?" Becca retorted.

"No need ta get awl snippy. Yeah, don't "like you'se" mean dat?" He looked a little hurt, so the girls decided to cut the guy a little slack. He was, after all, trying to help them. 

"Do we really stick out that bad?" Sam raised her one eyebrow.

"Yeah." He paused. "So if ya goils wanna find whoeveah, follow me, a'aight?" he started to turn and walk away, but stopped after he noticed that no one was following him.

"Can we at least know ya name?" Dianna, regardless of how gross she really thought this was, spit in her hand and held it out. "My name's Dianna." She waited for a response and then continued. "This is Janet, Becca and Sam." She pointed to each of them, and they all said "hi" or gave a little nod.

For the first time, he smiled, and then returned the spitshake that's gross!!. "Da name's Hawk. You'se da fiost goil dat would evah spit shake wit any guy."

"Well, I can't say that I would do it again …" Dianna shuddered, and wiped her hand on her jeans.

"Da guys would love ya, far spit shakin'." Hawk started walking in the opposite direction. "I should take you'se ta meet da guys. Spot would be interested."

"So we're in Brooklyn …" Janet concluded.

"Where else would ya be?" 

"For only trying to help us, you seem pretty snippy." Janet didn't like this guy that much.

"Well, if ya don't wan me ta help you'se …" Hawk trailed off, stopping.

"No, we're just kinda stressed out now …" Dianna motioned for him to continue, and so he did.

It wasn't long before he came to the spot that he was looking for, the doorway to an old house. And on the doorstep were Sarah Michele and Laura.

"We thought we lost you guys!" Becca looked relieved to see the three other people that she had met *hours* ago.

"So," Hawk began, after seeing that they were all okay and glad to be rejoined, "where do ya goils wanna go? Do ya have any friends dat I can take ya's to?"

"The Manhattan Newsboys Lodging House!!!" Dianna shouted.

"Who ya friends wit dere?" Hawk was baffled.

"Well nobody … yet" Dianna blushed, thinking of actually meeting all the guys from the movie.

"Den why would ya want ta go dere?" 

"Uhh …no reason …I just like to see the sights …" Dianna looked to any one of her friends for some help, but they were just busy trying not to laugh.

"Dose are certainly not one o' da sights o' New Yawk City." Hawk thought of where the girls could stay. "If I ask Spot, den I could see if ya could possibly stay da night at our lodgin' house …but I'se gonna have ta ask him …he's kinda picky about dese things …"

"SPOT!?" Becca was starting to hyperventilate. "Spot Conlon, the most feared newsie in all of New York???" 

"coughMANOFYOURDREAMScough" coughed Janet from behind.

"What was dat?" Now Hawk was really baffled. _'Where do dese goils come from?'_ he silently wondered. 

"Nevermind, you said that you could bring us to Spot, and maybe we could spend the night?" Becca said, quickly changing back the topic and glaring back at Janet.

"Yeah, I'se gonna drop you goils off at a dock, not too far away from Spot. I'll talk ta him, den I'se gonna come back far you'se, a'aight?" Hawk didn't want Spot to say no, which he knew what would happen if he saw these girls.

"Yay! A Brooklyn dock!!" Becca jumped up and down.

Hawk just rolled his eyes, and then started walking again. "If ya wanna go ta da docks, den follow me." So without another word, the girls followed Hawk. They walked for about 10 minutes, until Laura asked, "Are we there yet? And what time is it? I'm hungry."

"We'se still got a ways to go." Hawk looked down at his pocket watch. "It's 4:02, and if ya gots some money, ya can get a pretzel when we get ta da docks."

"Okay …" Laura sighed. Her hungry stomach was going to have to wait. 

"Another t'ing dat's been really buggin' me is you'se accents." Hawk didn't like all the looks that the passer-byers were giving him.

"What's wrong with them?" Michele asked.

"It makes ya stick out like a sore thumb." Hawk looked back at the girls as he continued walking. "Ya gotta use 'dey' instead o' 'they' and 'dat' instead o' 'that'. And when you'se talkin' ta a group, ya gotta say 'you'se'. do ya undahstand?" 

"Kinda …but why do we have to change our accents?" Sarah questioned.

"Because, if ya don't ya just attractin' to much attention ta yaself, an' dat's just askin' far trouble."

With some other little unimportant questions, they finally got to the docks. He took them to one dock, which didn't go out that far. "Now you goils gotta, mean gotta, stay here. I ain't comin' lookin' far you'se again, so if ya wandah off, you'se on ya own." Hawk looked each in the eye to make sure they understood. "Da city ain't da safest place at night, which it will be in t'ree hours or soonah." 

With that, Hawk turned and continued to walk in the same direction, until he was out of sight. "Didn't he say that there was a pretzel stand around here?" Laura asked, her stomach rumbling.

"Yeah, I believe he did…" Sam looked around for any sign of one. "Is that it, over there?" She pointed to a small stand, with an old guy in the back of it. 

"Yay! I think it is!!! Let's go check it out." Laura's stomach was getting really hungry now. 

So while Laura and Sam went over to the pretzel stand, the other girl sat down on the dock. "Can we still see them?" Sarah worried, she didn't want to mess with this guy Hawk, and he looked dangerous. And he could be back any second.

"Yeah, I can see them." Michele said standing up.

"You guys think that this water is warm?" Dianna slipped off her shoe and dipped her foot in the water. "Hey! It's warm. Really warm."

"Yeah, and it is pretty hot, especially here in the sun." Becca looked at everyone. "Wanna go for a swim?"

"Sounds like a good idea, I mean this Hawk character could be taking a while …and how is one dip going to hurt us?" Janet took off her shoes.

"Guys …I don't think we should …he said not to go anywhere." Sarah looked around, she was getting kind of paranoid. "Look, here come Laura and Sam …maybe they'll object too."

But not much to Sarah's surprise, they quickly agreed with Janet, Becca, Dianna and Michele and were the first to jump in. "Hey!!! The water is Great!!!" Laura went underwater and swam a little further out.

"Wait for me!" Becca called as she jumped in. Soon Michele dove in, followed by Janet. And as soon as Dianna got her other shoe off and pulled back her hair, she slid in the water also. And poor Sarah was left on the dock all by herself.

After quite some time of watching all of her friends swim and have a great time, Sarah decided that she would go in too. _Why should they have all the fun?_ She silently thought. But before she jumped in, one thought popped into her head. _What if they have sharks here? I just finished reading about all those shark attacks …_so she looked in the murky water to see if she would be able to see anything.

"Hey guys …" Sarah yelled out, "What is that thing in the water?" All she could see was a deeper shade of the murky color of the water, but she could have sworn that it wasn't moving and that it wasn't there before.

"What thing?" Someone called out from in the water. "You're probably just paranoid, you get like this every year when we got to Island Beach."

"No, I'm serious!" Sarah tired to follow it. It was definitely moving. "Becca!!! It's coming towards you!" And by now, the girls had started to swim closer to the docks, just in case. But as Becca turned around, she saw it.

"BECCA!" Janet yelled at the top of her lungs, swimming towards her to see if she could help.

Becca tried to swim as fast as she could to the dock, but it looked as if she wasn't going to make it in time. 

__

Splash! Someone has jumped in the water, and that was all that Becca could tell. She heard other voices coming from the dock. She turned back to see how far away it was, and when she did, she froze. She just couldn't move. 

Sarah had been watching this whole thing from the dock, and before she saw Becca turn around, Sarah saw its lone fin rise out of the water …and she immediately knew that it was a shark. Sam and Laura had swam to the dock already and gotten out, but as Michele, Janet and Dianna saw that Becca needed some help, they turned back to help her. 

But that wasn't really necessary because Hawk had picked this moment to come back to the docks. Luckily he had brought a friend with him, namely Spot. When Hawk saw that there was only one girl on the dock, he picked up his pace and almost started running back to the docks. Spot, wondering what the heck was going on, started running to catch up with him. They reached the docks at the same time that Sarah saw the fin come out of the water.

Spot dove in, and headed for that girl who was frantically swimming to get away. He swam with all of his might to get to her as fast as he possibly could. He came at her from the side, so with his foot he was able to kick the shark's gill. The shark ((yes I control the shark …muahahahaha!!!)) didn't feel like fighting for a meal, so he just turned back around and headed for the shore. 

Hawk, who didn't jump in, stayed by the dock and called Janet, Michele and Dianna in. ((he didn't know their names, but that doesn't really matter, does it?)) He pulled them in, once they saw that Becca would be safe. Spot was helping Becca swim to the dock. She was just recognizing the fact that this boy had just saved her from her death ((she didn't realize it was Spot yet)). Finally, once everybody got out of the water and was on the dock, that's when the problems started. 

"I said, don't leave da dock. An' what do ya's do?" Hawk hated it when people didn't listen. "Ya left da dock. I'se tryin' ta help ya 'ere, an' you'se couldn't even stay put." Hawk turned to Spot. "Well dese are da goils I was tellin' ya about. Dey are quite a handful, lemme tell ya."

"So I can see." Spot took off his shirt and wrung the water out of it, then he put it back on. "so, alla you'se is lookin' far a place ta stay, huh?"

"Yeah …just for tonight. And we'll be good, so good ya-" Janet started to say, but was cut off by Spot continuing.

"I'se don't wanna listen ta false promises, dat's da one thing I hate." Spot grabbed his slingshot off of the dock and put it back in his pocket. "Now what happened dere …just don't say nothin' ta any o' me boys …or you'se 'll wish ya hadn't." 

Spot started to walk down the dock, and motioned for the others to follow. They all got up from the dock (they were just kind of laying there) and walked off the dock. Hawk was the last one to leave, making sure that everyone was there and accounted for.

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	4. Chapter 3

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"Just ta letcha ya goils know," Spot thought that they should at least where they were going, "I'se gonna ta take you'se ta da Boys Lodgin' House. Da Goils Lodgin' House is on da oddah side o' Brooklyn, an' it's too late ta take you'se awl dere. Dat okay?"

"I guess so …" Janet didn't have a problem with it, and knew Becca wouldn't. She looked to the others, and none of them objected, so Janet finished, "Yeah, that's fine. But where exactly are we going to sleep?"

"Well, I'se sent one of me guys ta da Lodgin' House ta save four bunks fa all o' you'se …so you'se will pro'ably be sleepin' I da same room wit us, but not da same bunks." Spot mumbled to himself, "I think dey're in a separate section o' somet'ing."

"Okay …what are we gonna do till we get to the Lodging House?" Becca asked, trying to fill the awkward silence with some conversation.

"Well, I t'ink dat you'se explainin' whatcha doin' in dose clothes an' such is gonna take up quite a lotta time. An' den you'se awl gotta decide what ya gonna do, we have ta find anudda place fa you'se awl ta stay." Spot smirked, thinking of what fun this was going to be.

"Ya's hungry?" Hawk eyed a cheap restaurant across the street. Many of the Brooklyn newsies would get their lunch and dinner there, making it one of their many hangouts. 

"At Blue's? I don't want da guys ta meet dese goils yet!" Spot glared at Hawk. _How dare he t'ink o' such a stupid idea. Da noive. _ He silently added. "Maybe latah, dependin' on how t'ings go."

"But I'm hungry." Laura whined from the back of the line. She was talking mainly to Sam, but Spot must have heard it because he turned around and scowled at her. And Laura, being the type of 13-year-old that she is, gave him her evil eyes right back. "I said I was hungry." 

"An' I ain't going in dere ta make a fool o' meself. So you can wait." Spot turned back around and started walking. "Feel free ta go in. but I'se warnin' ya, if ya do, don't ya DARE come back ta me tanight when's you'se lookin' fa a place ta stay."

"C'mon Laura," Sam said. "It's Spot, after all. And we need a place to stay."

"I guess your right. But I'm still hungry." Laura rolled her eyes and hurried to catch up with the others.

"She didn't mean it Spot." Becca was saying, trying to apologize for her actions. Becca finally realized that this was SPOT, the guy that she never thought she would meet. And now was the chance of her life, she had a chance with him now. She only had to compete with …say all the girls in the city?

"Den she should apologize ta me. Not you." Spot looked at Becca but realizing that she was looking at him, he quickly turned his head.

"I just didn't want you to be mad at us on account of her." Becca still kept looking at him. "We are so grateful to you for taking us in, even if it is one night." Becca had been in a few plays and loved acting, which was one of her many talents. So she made sure that Spot heard the last part of her sentence to see if he would let them stay longer. Or at least her.

"Ehh …don't mention it." Spot turned to face her. She wasn't looking at him now, looking kind of off into the distance. "Whatcha thinkin' 'bout?"

"Where we're gonna stay." Becca sighed, and then went back to walking with Janet and the others. Spot almost stopped, but then caught himself and continued walking.

The rest of the journey was made in silence, most of the girls were just taking in the sights of New York 102 years ago. But it was a good thing, because if everybody wasn't talking, then there couldn't be any fighting. ((well, there could …but that doesn't happen.)) they had been walking for about 20 minutes since the last incident, when Spot stopped.

"Are we here?" Sarah wondered. 

"No, dis is a place where you goils can get somet'ing ta eat." Spot flashed a cold look at Laura. "If you'se hungry."

"Food, glorious food!" Laura sniffed the air around her. "It smells good …like chicken …" 

"The why are we still standing here? Let's go in already!" Michele said, crossing the street and heading for the door.

"Here we go again …" Hawk mumbled to himself as he crossed the street to the bunch of girls that everyone was looking at.

"Tell me 'bout it." Spot added, leading the way to the restaurant. He walked right to the front of the "line" made by the girls.

"How many?" the waiter asked Spot, giving him a weird look.

Spot turned around and counted them all. "9." He snapped. 

"Right this way kid." The waiter quickly showed them to their seats, two tables in the back of the room. He shoved menus at them, and demanded their orders then and there. "I'm not coming back, so if ya's don't speak now, den you ain't gettin' nothin'."

"Do you have a breakfast menu?" Janet questioned.

"Is it breakfast time?" He snipped, rolling his eyes. 

"I'll take that as a no." Janet picked up her menu and glanced through it. 

Quickly, they hurried up and ordered. Spot, Becca, Janet and Michele sat at one table, while Laura, Sam, Dianna, Sarah and Hawk sat at the one right next to it. The food came 30 minutes later. "Geez, what took them so long? The other couple that was in here has already eaten and left!" Dianna complained. 

"Yeah, and they put us all the way in the back!" Janet turned around to talk to Dianna. "And the waiter is horrible! I'm not leaving a tip for him."

"Definitely no tip." Sarah added.

"You know what?" Michele began, "it's not even busy."

Spot who figured that he'd find out soon enough why they were complaining about the service, decided that he should answer some of their questions, or they might get thrown out. "Dey put us in da back because we'se really lowah class. It's not crowded in heah because it ain't really dinnah time. And you'se give waitahs tips?"

"I guess things really are different back then." Becca took a bite of her food, making a face.

"Whatsa mattah?" Spot gave her a concerned but you're-out-of-your-mind look. "Taste weird?" 

Becca nodded. "Yeah but I can live with it." She took another bite, knowing she should feel better with food.

The others devoured their food, regardless of how bad it tasted. "Hey guys, how are we gonna pay the bill?" Dianna wondered, hoping everyone was done. _What I would give to be outside right now._

Hawk almost spit out his food. "Ya mean ta tell me dat ya don' t have any money?!"

"No, we got money. But are we gonna pay for it all separately, or together and sort it out later?" Dianna looked to everyone for an answer.

"How about …" Sarah trailed off. "one of us pays, and we sort it out later." Spot and Hawk just looked at her like she was crazy.

"I'll pay." Dianna offered. Now Spot an Hawk were even more dazed and confused. How could anyone (someone their age) have that much money? 

So the next time Dianna saw the waiter, she ran over to him and asked for the bill. He looked really annoyed now, and yelled at the top if his lungs, "I QUIT! I CAN'T TAKE DESE RATS COMIN' IN HERE FA FOOD!!!" he un-did his apron, and ran out of there as fast as he could. Dianna just walked back to the table and sat down. "That went well." 

"Oh yeah, real well." Spot knew they should have all just gotten pretzels or something.

"It wasn't my fault. I only asked for the bill. You think that he'd be happy to get rid of us" Dianna retorted and rolled her eyes. 

A minute later, a waitress came over and slapped a piece of paper on the table, and walked off muttering about "how dey always had to deal wit stupid kids…" 

Dianna grabbed the paper and looked at. Turns out that is was the bill and that the total was $2.43. She pulled 2 dollars and 43 cents out and put it on the table. "You guys owe me …27 cents …yeah, it works out." Dianna smiled. "C'mon guys, I want my 27 cents!!" 

After everyone paid up, Spot decided that they were all going to leave, and so he *pushed* everyone out the door into the warm, fresh air.

Janet walked up to Dianna and asked, "Do you feel rich?"

"I do!!!" Dianna counted her money. "he he he, I got Spot's quarter."

"You should give it to Becca." Janet whispered.

"I should!" Dianna looked for Becca, and but found her as she heard giggling. "Janet! Look at Becca!" Dianna pointed to the front of their "parade". 

"Aww, she's walking with Spot!" Janet thought if she would ever get to be with Blink. "He must be telling her something really funny, look at how she's laughing!!!" 

"Yeah …that's awesome for her that she was saved by him today …I'll keep Spot's quarter for now … give it to her later." Dianna sighed. "Is she okay about the whole shark thing?"

"Yeah, I think she's fine. If she's not, it's nothing Spot can't help her with." Janet laughed. "And look at Hawk, all by his lonesome."

"Yeah. At least Sarah, Michele, Laura and Sam all seem to be getting along." Dianna commented. 

"And we're not in a fight, so I think that we are all good." Janet concluded. "Now to figure out where we are going to sleep."

"Yeah …I can't decide if I want the bottom or top. I think I want the bottom because in Newsies, Race has the bottom bunk." Dianna drifted off. 

"You're pathetic." Janet stated.

"Yeah, I know." Dianna looked down at the cobblestone road. "But since Blink has the top, do you want the top?"

"Yea!!!" Janet nodded. "C'mon, let's go talk to Hawk, maybe he knows Blink."

"Or Race …" Dianna suggested.

"Loser." Janet picked up her pace to catch up with Hawk. "Hey, how's it going?"

Hawk looked surprised that someone was talking to him. "Ahh …just waitin' ta hear you'se story." He lied.

"Oh. You seemed a little preoccupied." Janet commented.

"And you looked like you were having loads of fun, and we wanted to join." Dianna added saracstically. 

"Well ya welcome ta have awl da fun ya want …but I wouldn't call it fun." Hawk tried to return to his thoughts, but if these girls didn't leave him alone …

"All right then." Dianna thought for a second, and then remembered why they came over here. "Hey Hawk, I got a question." She looked at Hawk, who looked back and gave her a look that said "what?" "I was wondering, are you friends with any of the Manhattan Newsies?"

"Like who?" Hawk said with a little more edge in his voice than he meant.

"I dunno, umm …Kid Blink, Racetrack, Mush …any of the guys." Dianna should have put a few more random newsies in, but that would only raise more questions.

"Yeah, I guess you could say dat I'se friends wit Blink, Race an' Mush …not really Mush though." Hawk paused. "How do you know dem?"

"Well, we'll explain all about that as soon as we get to the Lodging House. Speaking of the house, how much longer?" Janet wondered.

"We gots a bout 5 more minutes. But if Spot keeps on walkin' slowah, den we'se still got 'bout 15 more minutes." Hawk looked to Spot and Becca. "He seems pretty entranced by your friend dere. What's 'er name again?"

"Becca, and she's my cousin." Janet filled him in. 

"Dat's it. She's da one dat he saved from da shark, right?" 

"Yup." Janet nodded.

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"Do you think that we are ever going to get home?" Laura asked anyone who was walking with them.

"I don't know." Sarah couldn't answer her question.

"Maybe if we could find out how we got here." Suggested Sam. "That might help."

"We were watching a movie." Michele refreshed everyone's memory. "And the theater was fine, what was the first change you noticed?"

"The sound going." Sarah replied.

"The whole story changing." Laura said, being the most obvious one.

"Do you think it had anything to do with the people that came in?" Sam wondered out loud. 

"Maybe we aren't the only ones that this has happened to. I mean, there might have been other people that came in the theater from our time." Sarah speculated. 

"I think we would have seen them though. It had to be pretty hard to have missed them." Laura pointed out.

"Yeah, you're right. Just a thought." Sarah finished.

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"So Spot, are we almost there?" Becca hoped that they would. She turned around to see how the others were doing. '_They look pretty good. A little tired, but who isn't?'_ She thought.

"Yeah. Jus' a few more blocks." Spot picked up his pace. '_Becca must be tired, I should hurry up an' get t'ings goin'. I'se still gotta find clothes fa dem awl.'_ He contemplated.

"So what else do ya like ta do?" Spot smirked. "Besides swimmin' wit da sharks."

Becca laughed. "You're so funny, Spot Conlon." She added sarcastically.

"Hey, you know me last name." Spot was baffled.

"Who doesn't?" Becca returned the nicely flowing conversation.

"It's just weird, dat's awl." Spot turned the corner, and made sure that all the others followed him. "We'se almost dere." He called out to everyone.

And as soon as they turned the next corner, they were. The sign read "Brooklyn Boys' Lodging House" and the house looked fairly big. "Okay goils, I'se gonna show ya up ta ya rooms, den we gotta see about changin' you'se clothin'." Spot eyed them all over once more, just so he had an idea of how much he would need. Maybe tomorrow he'd take them to get some clothes. Anyway, he went up the steps and headed inside.

"Hey Spot, Hawk" Came a warn welcome from an middle-aged man sitting behind a desk. "Whatcha doin' back so early?" he looked at the clock on the wall. "It's only 6:30."

"Well Arg, I had some trouble tiday," Spot looked to the door and motioned for the girls to come in, "A'tually seven big problems."

Agrdandizo's, or Arg for short, face was shocked as he saw 7 weird girls walk in on Spot's cue. "Now Spot, you know da rules, an' I ain't 'bout ta break 'em far ya." His voice was stern.

"But Arg, it's jus' far one night!" Spot knew that if he pestered Arg enough, he'd give in. "An' I would take dem ta da Goils' Lodgin' House, but dat's on da oddah side o' Brooklyn. Ya don't wan' dese goils an' meself ta get hoit goin' dere tanight."

Arg knew that the next argument was going to be about how Kloppman, the Manhattan LH's ((lodging house …it saves so much more time)) let girls sleep there, and nothing ever went wrong with that. "Well…" he glowered at Spot, "Just for ONE night, d' ya understan'?"

"T'anks Arg, ya da best." Spot signed in and paid for tonight, and so did Hawk.. He handed Arg 35 cents, "dis is far da goils …can we jus' keep it undah da countah?"

"Sure t'ing," Arg counted the money, "but one night only."

"Okay." Spot turned to the stairs, but then changed his mind and looked back to Arg. "Are any o' da guys up dere?"

"I don't t'ink so …but dere might be a few straglers wanderin' around. D'ya wan' me ta keep da oddahs down here?"

"Naw, we'll be fine." Spot walked to the stairs, and motioned for the girls to follow. "Da boys bunks are awl on da 2nd and 3rd floor, we'se goin' ta the 3rd floor." So Spot, Hawk and the girls all trudged up the stairs to the 3rd floor. "Da washroom is on da left, da bunk are on da right. Same t'ing on da 2nd floor." 

Hawk opened the door on the right, and held it open for everyone to pass through. There was only one other guy there, the one that Spot had sent to save the bunks for. "Hey Fish, ya can go now. Thanks far doin' dis though."

"Anytime Spot. Are you'se goin' ta Manhattan tanight?" Fish got up from a bunk and walked over to the door.

"Why would I be goin' dere?" Spot tried to hide some of the confusion from his face. Enough is enough for one day!

"Because uhh, what's-his-face came down ta da docks tiday an' asked if ya an' some of da guys wanted ta go ta Medda's wit some o' da guys tanight." Fish remembered.

"Oh, dang I forgot bout dat." Spot closed his eyes and thought. "Yeah Cowboy an' Boots did come ovah taday. Are ya goin' ta go?"

Fish shrugged his shoulders. "I was, unless you had a problem wit it."

"You can go only if ya tell Cowboy dat I'se truly sorry, but somet'ing came up, and he should expect me dere tomorraw, or da day after." 

"A'aight, I'll tell him dat." Fish turned and headed out the door.

"Now," Spot continued after Fish had left, "we have to do somet'ing 'bout you'se clothes."

"Like what?" Becca questioned. 

"Well, I t'ink dat we might find somet'ing up on da next floor, it's awl storage. Dere might be a couple o' pants an' shoirts dat nobody's usin'." Hawk suggested. 

"Okay, ya wanna take some goils an' go an' see what ya's can find." Spot motioned for Sarah, Michele and Dianna to go. Then he thought about where else they might be able to find some clothes. "I'll be right back, dere might be some guys up on da roof."

"But I thought that that guy downstairs said that there wasn't any other guys up here." Janet added.

"Yeah, but look who we found here! Fish. He can be a lil' absent-minded sometimes." Spot informed the girls, mainly Janet. And with that, he headed for the roof.

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"Man, this place is dusty!" coughed Sarah.

"Yeah, I dunno how long ago it was dat he cleaned dis pace out." Hawk opened another box, a mini dust cloud forming.

"At least we found something." Michele was talking about 2 really old shirts and 3 pairs of pants with holes in them.

"Yeah, but it isn't that much." Dianna mumbled, looking through another box of bed sheets. "There are certainly a lot of bed sheets."

"You would think that there would be some clothes in here somewhere." Sarah wondered out loud. 

"Jack pot!" Hawk declared. He had found a box full of clothes. "Now all we have to do is to ask Arg if we can use these." Hawk pulled the box to the door, after they had straightened everything up. 

"Do you need some help?" Dianna asked, putting the old clothes back where they came from.

"Not unless ya wanna take some o' da clothes outta here." Hawk opened the box again, making sure he had the right one. So Dianna, Michele and Sarah went over and grabbed some of the clothes out, and carried them downstairs. 

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	5. Chapter 4

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"Hey fellas." Spot said to the 4 guys who were on the roof. 

"Hey Spot." One of them said. 

"I'se got a favah ta ask alla you'se." Spot started.

"Fire away." Said the second boy.

"Do any o' you'se got some spare clothes?" Spot hoped that they would, or Hawk had found something.

"What far Spot?" said the first boy.

"Well Bug, I found some goils tiday …an' deir clothes are awl ripped an' such. I coitaintly don't have enough far 7 goils, and I was askin' ya help."

"I'd be glad ta help …as long as I get ta meet dese goils." Bug replied. 

"A'aight den-" Spot turned around to Hawk.

"We found some, an' Arg said it was okay ta use 'em." Hawk had just ran up the four flights of stairs and was a little out of breath.

"Oh. Nevah mind den, boys." Spot went to go down a floor, Hawk following. "I can't believe dat you'se actually found dem. I didn't t'ink dat Arg kept dat in dere."

"Yeah, neithah did I." Hawk walked in the bunkroom, to find that the girls had settled in, and were beginning to pick out which clothes everyone was going to get.

"But I want that shirt!" Laura pouted as her and Janet reached for the same shirt.

"I'm older." Janet looked for another one. "You can have it, I found a different one."

"Where can we go change?" Michele asked Spot, who had some clothes with her.

"Uhh …is anyone in da washroom?" Spot asked Hawk. I dunno …probably not …but I'll go check." So Hawk strolled out the door to the washroom. "Nope! It's clear!" Haw called from in there.

"Oh, I'm ready too!" cried Sam, who followed Michele in across the hall.

Soon everyone was changed and sitting back in the bunkroom. "Dat's much bettah." Spot glanced at the girls, who finally looked like they would fit in with the crowd. "Now awl we need is ta work on ya accents. But before dat, ya story."

"Who's gonna tell?" asked Sarah. The seven just looked at each other, and finally Becca spoke up.

"Well …this is going to seem really weird to you, but I hope it will explain a lot." She paused, and then continued. "you see, it started out as a normal morning. Well, kind of un-normal for me, because I'm Janet's cousin, and I'm visiting her. Anyway, we decided to go to the mall today and-"

"The mall?" Spot really had his doubts about these girls now.

"Yeah, the mall. A bunch of stores all smushed together." Becca hoped that this would sink in, but judging by the blank looks on their faces, Michele joined in.

"Have you ever heard of time travel?" she bit her lip.

"Uh …stop beatin' around da bush and tell us where ya from." Hawk exclaimed.

"We're from the year 2002!" Janet bursted out. "So if we say things that don't make sense, it's because we are from the future."

"I know it sounds really weird, but I swear it's true. Anyway, we decided to go to the mall and see a movie." Before Spot could ask another question, she looked to Dianna. "What did they call them back then?"

"A flicker. I think." Dianna thought back to King Of New York. "yeah, because that's what Les calls them in King of New York."

"Okay, so we went to go see a flicker, and while we were watching it, these strange things start to happen." Becca continued. "Now before we tell you what things happened, you have to understand one thing about our movies, err flickers. They are in color, have sound, the people in the movies talk. They dress like more like the way we were dressed, and they don't have girls tied to railroad tracks all the time. The picture is so much better, not choppy like they are now. And then, when the movie was over, we all looked around and found that we weren't in New Jersey anymore."

"So you mean ta tell us dat while you'se were watching dis flick, you'se traveled from da year 2002 ta da year 1900." Spot said skeptically. 

"Yeah …I know it sounds crazy." Becca thought put loud. "Really crazy. But we're just as confused as you! If we knew how we got here, then as sure as anything, I'd tell you!"

"Well, I'se gotta t'ink about dis. It's jus' too weird …" Spot blinked a couple of times. "Okay, so ya wanna tell me how ya knew me name?"

"Well …" Becca glanced to Dianna. "You want to do the honors?"

"Yeah!" Dianna smiled. "And I'll try not to talk to fast. So you remember how Becca said that we had movies and stuff?" Hawk and Spot nodded. "Well, it's gotten so we can take movies home and watch them, in a little thing called a TV, short for television." Dianna puased, hoping she wasn't going to fast. "Anyway, there is this one video called _Newsies_, and I LOVE that movie, it's my favorite in the whole world. Yes," Dianna looked at the looks on the boys' faces, "it's about the newsies strike that happened about a year ago. You're famous!"

"Some one made a flick about us?" Spot's ego just boosted about 100 points.

"Yeah! And they have you in it, of course Jack and David. All the Manhattan Newsies, plus Morris and Oscar DeLancey, and Weasel. And Pulitzer and Snyder are in there," Dianna shuddered. 

"Why would dey make a flick 'bout us?" Hawk puzzled.

"Do you know how to shoot a slingshot?" Dianna asked in too muh of a hurry and had to repeat herself. "Do, you, know, how, to, shoot, a, slingshot?"

"Yeah, who doesn't?" Hawk thought that it was common knowledge, but then remembered these girls had an excuse.

"You're HIM!" Dianna jumped up and down. "Laura!!! This is the guy who shot the slingshot right before Spot saves them. You know, who we were trying to find a name for!"

"OOHHH!! Him!!" Laura started a Hawk for a moment. "You're right!"

"Who?" Janet and Becca said, in unison.

"Okay, you know in the fight scene, when Brooklyn saves the day, right before King Of New York?"

"Yeah …what about it?" Becca wanted to find out what everyone was talking about already. 

"Well, RIGHT before the scene cuts to Spot, there are four guys with slingshots, and the last one to come up, it's HIM!" Dianna replayed the movie in her mind, like any good newsie fan can.

"Yeah! It is!" Janet exclaimed. "Wow, you're right. For once!"

"He he he, we should have a party." Laura snickered.

"I'se in a movie?" Hawk was amazed and shocked at the same time. 

"Yup." Becca cheerfully chattered.

"So …someone made a flick or movie whatevah, 'bout da Newsie Strike dat was almost a year ago?" Spot rubbed his forehead. "An' me an' Hawk was in it? Along wit Jackey Boy an' his newsies?"

"He called Jack Jackey Boy, just in the movie!" Becca was almost ecstatic.

"Dis is too weird." Hawk started to pace in between several bunks, one of which Spot was sitting on.

"Hawk, do ya min'?" Spot thought that after so many years Hawk would finally learn that Spot couldn't stand pacing.

"Sorry. I didn't even realize dat I was doin' it." Hawk abruptly stopped and sat back down on a bunk.

"Yeah, and that's the real reason that we want to go to Manhattan and meet the newsies there." Janet started up the conversation again.

"Oh, I guess dat it makes a lil' more sense now." The pieces were finally coming together, well, kind of, but Spot still had many unanswered questions.

"Yeah …do you keep in touch with Kid Blink at all?" Janet knew it was a wild stab in the dark, but she figured it was worth a try.

"Yeah, is blink in da flick too?" Spot wondered what Janet could possibly want to know about him. Then it hit him.

"Do you know if he has a girl friend?" Janet crossed her finger. 

"Uhh …a'tually, if me memory is right, he's available." Spot sighed. _Dis is gonna be a lon' night._

"Really?" Janet thought that he would definitely be taken.

"How about Racetrack? Do you know if he's free?" Dianna could only hope.

"I t'ink he's got a girl. Dragonfly, I t'ink." Spot saw Dianna's face fall.

"It was worth a try." She mumbled to herself, but then brightened up suddenly. "What about Snoddy?"

"I dunno …you'll have ta check wit Jack, I don really know Snoddy, maybe played pokah wit him once or twice." Spot honestly had no idea.

"What about you?" Becca smiled, knowing that the odds were against her.

"Me?" Spot looked surprised. "I haven't had a girl in quite some time …a couple o' months now."

"Interesting …" Becca thought of the possiblities. "Very interesting …" _Spot is single, I just traveled back in time and I am most likely going to be *friends* with him …_ her thoughts wandered off.

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Fish was almost to Irving Hall, the Dance Hall that Medda Larkson preformed in and owned. As he approached, he saw Jack and his girl, Stress. "Hey Cowboy." He went over to them, interrupting something, but he really didn't care.

"Fish." Jack whispered something in Stress's ear, and then she spun around into Irving Hall. After Jack watched her go, he stepped over to Fish and spitshook. "So where's Spot?"

"He said dat he couldn't make it." Fish began, and continued as he saw the look on Jack's face. "Somet'in really important came up, an' he said dat he'd try ta come up tomorraw, or da day after."

"What kinda importan' t'ing?" Jack suspected that something really bad happened, it wasn't like Spot to go back on his word. 

"I'll tell him tell ya da story …I dunno how he's gonna break da news ta ya." Fish paused. "Ta tell ya da truth, I don't even know da whole story!" Fish threw his hands up in the air. 

"Is Spot okay?" Jack didn't wanna get worked up about nothing …although if Spot wasn't there, then something had to be up.

"Yeah. He's fine …jus' some business came up." Fish stated.

"Okay den." Jack turned to the backstage entrance, holding the door open for Race and Dragonfly, who strolled on in. 

As soon as Fish got in, he went over to Snoddy and his usual gang. Normally Skittery and Bumlets would be there, but ever since Skittery had asked Holiday to be his girl, and Bumlets had asked Illusion to be his girl, the four had made their own group. But that was okay, who said that guys couldn't have time alone with their girls? 

"Swifty, ya got cards?" Snoddy took a sip of his drink.

"Yeah, ya wanna see if Dutchy, Itey, Chippah, Snitch an' Pie wanna start up a game wit us an' Fish?" Swifty replied as Snoddy went over to the table and asked them if they wanted to make a poker game with the 5 of them. "So Fish, wheah's ya goil Raidah?"

"She's in Brooklyn, wit da goils." Fish stated, pretty indiferently.

"Oh. Goil's night?" Swifty thought of Aki. _'I wish she'd be me goil … maybe I'se gonna ask 'er tanight.'_

"Yeah, sumt'in like dat." Fish looked to where Snoddy was. "Guess dey said yes."

Swifty turned around to see Snoddy coming back and the boys moving their table. "Yep. Now we can get a good game goin'." He said rubbing his hands.

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"Sorry 'bout dat Stress." Jack sat down at his and Stress's normal table, and ruffled his hand though her head.

Stress just sighed. "Lemme guess, jus' business?"

"Yeah. I'se really sorry 'bout dat-"

"Jack, it's okay." Stress was a little fed up, it seemed that all Jack had time for was his business, not any for her. He didn't even sell with her today. "Anyway, how's Mush feeling?"

"He's …as good as he probably can feel right now." Jack informed Stress. A week ago Hades had left Mush and moved to Brooklyn. There were rumors that Hades was seeing another guy, Blue. Anyhow, she left Mush heartbroken, and he had taken it pretty hard.

"Poor guy." Stress said, pittying Mush. 

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"Hey Race, Dragonfly!" Skittery tried to get the couple's attention as they walked in. "Ovah here! We'se got a table, an' wondered if ya's wanted ta join us." Skittery motioned to Holiday, Bumlets and Illusion.

"C'mon 'fly." Race put his arm around Dragonfly and pulled her over to the table. "Our other table is taken, an' Skits invited us."

"Sure, don't matter ta me." Dragonfly, or fly, as Race called her, followed her boyfriend to the table. He pulled out a chair for her, and she sat down. "Hey Aki, Hol, Illusion, Bumlets an' Skit." She greeted all of them. Even though this was the "couples table" Aki sat with them, only because Holiday and Illusion had asked her to that night. Chipper sometimes sat with them, but normally her and Aki would sit with the other boys.

"Hey guys." Bumlets welcomed Race and Dragonfly. "Don't worry, Medda didn't come on yet."

"Two bits says she's wearin' pink." Race always was looking for a way to make a little extra money.

"Aww, bum odds. She always wears pink, ya bonehead." Skit replied; it was common knowledge that Medda wore pink.

"C'mon, you need dat money far lodgin' tanight anyway." Dragonfly reasoned. 

"A'aight, since dere are no takahs, I'se gonna drop it…" Race looked around, making sure there were no takers. "Goin' once … twice…"

"Race!!!" Everyone shouted.

"Okay, I get da point." Race slid over towards Dragonfly as the lights dimmed and the show started. And to everyone's surprise, Medda came on and she was wearing - no, it couldn't be, she was wearing purple! But Medda **never** wore anything but pink!

"I knew I shoulda taken da bet!" Skittery slapped himself on his head. 

"Don't do dat, baby. You'll hoit yaself." Holiday comforted Skits.

"But I'se so stupid!" Skits argued. 

"Yeah, an' I love you'se anyway." Holiday gave her boyfriend a *quick* kiss and then turned back to the show.

As Medda finished up her routine, the crowds went *wild* ((being mostly men 40+ years of age …they have an excuse)) and the band began to play a dance song. Normally some dates would go upon the stage and dance, and tonight was no different. The stage was soon filled with couples, including Jack and Stress, Bumlets and Illusion, and Skittery and Holiday.

"C'mon Race! Come dance with me!" Dragonfly got up from her seat and tried to pull Race up from his.

"Naw, I don't wanna dance tanight …I'se really tired an' I'se had a long day." Race made up an excuse.

"You liah!" Dragonfly playfully punched him. "Now get up an' dance wit me!"

Race rolled his eyes. "I can only remembah da las' time ya asked me ta dance wit ya."

"But dat's in da past!" Dragonfly protested, stamping her foot. 

"I ain't movin''." Race said stubbornly, lighting up a cigar.

"Fine, I'se gonna go find someone dat wants ta dance den." Dragonfly spun around and made her way across the Hall, heading for the usual poker game the most of the guys were normally in. "Hey Dutchy, Fish, Snoddy, Swifty, Jake, Specs, Itey, Snitch an' Pie."

"Hey Dragonfly." Dutchy looked up briefly. "Full House." He said, putting his cards down.

"T'ree o' a kind." Snoddy showed his cards, 3 10's. Everyone had already folded, the stakes were up to 97 cents and was down to Dutchy and Snoddy. 

"Congratulations, Dutchy." Dragonfly patted his back. 

"What brings you ta dis cornah?" Jake asked, kind of rudely. Ever since Bums and Skits had gotten girlfriends, they had made their own *clique* and to be accepted you had to have a girl. Well Aki was the only acception, and she sometimes hung with the guys and played poker, so they didn't mind her. But needless to say the boys didn't take to kindly to Race's girlfriend paying them a visit.

"I was gonna ask if any o' you wanted ta dance." She glanced over in Race's direction, who was sulking now.

"You'se free?" Pie Eater asked in disbelief. 

"Naw, but he," she nodded her head in Race's direction, "doesn't wanna dance, an' I thought dat I could surely find someone ovah here dat would dance wit me."

Snoddy gave Dutchy a nudge and whispered in his ear, "Ya won da game, why not continue wit da good luck?"

Dutchy shrugged and stood up. "I'd take ya …as long as Race don't get mad at me."

"He won't mind." Dutchy reached for her hand, and they linked arms and walked up to the stage.

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"Eh …who cares 'bout one lil' dance anyways." Race mumbled to himself. "She'll get tired an' come back ta me after dis dance is ovah anyway." Race watched her as the dance ended.

"Dutchy! That was so much fun!" Dragonfly stated breathlessly. The band started up another song, and she looked into his blue eyes. 

"Care to join me again?" He knew the answer would be yes. She nodded and they started to dance again.

"What da heck?" Race muttered. "She's dancin' again …I sweah if Dutchy don't stop soon-" Race looked around, and saw the table where his other friends were, Mush, Blink and Davey. "Maybe I'se gonna go ovah dere. Mush has been takin' dis whole Hades t'ing a lil' hard…" and he took a final puff of his cigar, put it out in the ashtray, and headed for the table.

"Look who it is!" Blink smiled as he directed Mush's and Davey's attention to the new guest.

"Aww, shaddup Blink." Race sat down at an empty seat. "Sorry dat I haven't been able ta hang wit ya guys lately …I'se been a lil' preoccupied."

"Just a little." Davey said. ((They don't call him the Walkin' Mouth for nothing!))

"Yeah well-" Race thought about what Davey said. "I guess ya right. I'se been a lot. So… whatcha awl doin'?"

"Since da show is ovah, we'se was gonna head back ta da Lodgin' House soon." Blink stated.

"Hey Mush." Race looked at his friend. "Ya seem awfully quiet."

"Yeah …well dere ain't much ta talk 'bout." Mush continued to look at the table.

"Yeah, I guess ya right." Race looked back to Davey and Blink. "Davey, haven't seen ya in a while …school's out?"

"Naw, we got one more week left, all tests. Then we're done." Davey was taking a chance coming out here and hanging with the guys, he should be home soon.

"Den whatcha doin' out here?" Race seemed bewildered. "Shouldn't ya be home studyin' er somet'ing?"

"Yeah, I should." Davey glanced at his watch. "But I don't feel like it. I figure this is my last year, and I might as well enjoy it with the people I care about most."

"Yeah Dave." Race knew that the David he knew a year ago would have never done this. "Whatcha plan on doin' aftah school is done?"

"Well, unless I can convince my parents to let me be a newsie, I'm gonna have to look for another job that brings in a little more money." Davey paused. "And my parents have their own ideas about how I'm going to get married or something …but I don't see that in the near future." 

Blink let out a laugh. "Yeah. Who wants ta get settled down now? Ya got ya whole life in front o' ya. I mean, if ya really wanted ta … but …ya know."

"Fellas, I'se really tired." Mush perked his head up. He was sick of hearing about marrying and girls, and just wanted to get out of there. "You'se can awl stay an' talk, but I'se goin' back ta da lodgin' house."

"Yeah, well just so my parents don't worry I better get home too." Davey drank the rest of his coke. 

"Hey, don't leave yet, wait far us." Blink gathered up his few lone papers, and started to walk over to where Dave was talking to Jack, interrupting him and Stress.

"Ya gonna come wit us Race?" Mush's pitiful face made Race want to come …but his girl was with another guy. 

"Mush …" Race grimaced. "I would love to …an' I promise dat I'se gonna spend more time wit ya a' Blink, but," he glimpsed back at Dragonfly, "I really t'ink dat I'll stay here a while longah."

Mush somehow knew that Race would never spend more time with him, so it wasn't even worth getting his hopes up. "Whatevah." He mumbled and trudged to where Blink and Davey were standing.

Race took one last look at his friend, and then headed back to his table. "You t'ink dat she'd dance herself out awready." He turned his head to Dragonfly. Still dancing. But the song was ending, so he quickly went up to Dragonfly and pulled her aside.

"Race!" she hissed. "what are ya doin'?"

"C'mon, we'se leavin'." Race checked the time.

"Oh stop bein' a baby an' get ovah it." Dragonfly looked at Race sternly. "I'se having a good time an' I'se don't plan on leavin'-"

"See ya 'round Dragonfly!" Dutchy called. He knew that all good things must come to an end, but why did they have to end so soon?

"Bye Dutchy!" She broke free of Race's grasp, and turned to him. "Thanks far da dance!" Dragonfly watched him leave the stage and head back to the only guy who was left from their group, Snoddy. The two hurriedly walked out, not looking back.

"C'mon 'fly." Race grabbed her arm again. 

"Would ya let go?" Dragonfly pulled away once more.

"Only if ya come on back ta da lodgin' house wit me."

"What am I gonna stay here far?" Dragonfly rolled her eyes. "Ya jus' took away what fun I had left."

"I saw da way he was lookin' atcha." Race was getting protective, and Dragonfly didn't like it one bit.

"Ya know, I don't even know why I bothah wit ya anymore. I could have meself so much bettah t'ings den you hounded me awl da time!"

"So ya don't want me anymore? Is dat it?" Race had already headed for the door and Dragonfly was trying to catch up. "Then LEAVE!" and with that he ran out of the backstage entrance of Irving Hall, eager to be alone.

"Race! Wait!" Dragonfly sighed. "Here we go again …" and ran out the door, trying to catch him.

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The next morning, the first person was up at 5:30, and it was none other than Arg. He had to be the first one up, considering that it was his job to wake everyone else up. He started his usual routine; checking and counting all the names that had signed in, checking which newsies owed him money. He'd make himself a quick breakfast, fi he had time, and by then is was just about six, and he would walk up the creaky stairs to the 2nd floor. He'd go in, waking up all the sleeping newsies, one by one, until they were are all awake. Then he'd trudge up the next flight of stairs to more sleeping newsboys.

"C'mon! Get up, get up!" He brought his broom in with him, to start sweeping the floors, but it was more commonly used to hit the newsies that refused to get up.

Moans started coming from some of the boys in the room, several getting up and heading for the washroom. "Spot!" he walked over to where he was sleeping. "You got guests ta wake up!"

"A'aight, I'se up." Spot sighed, sitting up and looking at Hawk, who was next to him.

"Ya know, I had da weirdest dream las' night." Hawk mumbled.

"Yeah me too …somet'ing like dese goils came an' dey were from da future err somet'ing." Spot finished.

Spot and Hawk turned around at the sound of someone falling out of bed. "Oh crap, it ain't a dream." Hawk fell back into his bed, seeing that the someone who had fallen out was none other than Becca.

Spot, on the other hand, saw that it was Becca, and hurried over to her to make sure she was all right. It was the first time that Spot had felt this way about a girl in a very long time. _'Ever since Bookie an' I…'_ "Are ya awlright?" 

Becca tried to open her eyes, blinking at the bright light. "Huh?" Came her only reply.

"I asked ya if ya were awlright. Ya fell from da top bunk." Spot stated the obvious to a sleepy Becca.

"Oh …forgot I was on the top …ouch." She rubbed her leg as she tried to stand up. But this only made her fall into Spot, because as she was rubbing her leg, it gave out and Spot was there to catch her. "Thanks." She blushed slightly.

"Ya sure ya gonna be fine, now?" Spot doubled checked, helping her to the empty bunk below her.

"Yeah, lucky you were there to catch me, or I would have fallen twice." Becca gazed at Spot, still not fully awake. 

Spot just couldn't take his eyes off her, until Hawk walked up to him and waved his hand in front of his face. "Hey, anybody home? Ya gotta get ready!"

"Oh, yeah. T'anks Hawk." Spot got up. "Can ya get da others up?"

"That's not necessary." Janet popped up, and Becca and Spot looked to the girls who were awake and had watched the whole scene from their bunks.

Becca blushed and looked at Spot, who was caught off guard, and just reminded the girls that they had to get up and get dressed in their clothes, their *new* ones. 

"Aww, look at the lovebirds, Spot and Becca…" Janet aww'ed as she went by. 

"Ouch! That hurt!" Dianna exclaimed as she sat up and rubbed her head. "Stupid bunk bed."

"Did you just hit your head?" Sarah laughed.

"Yeah. Well I've hit it once for today." Dianna smiled happily thinking that she wouldn't hit her head anymore. 

"Whatever." Sam climbed off of the top bunk, instead of falling out, which was the way to do it.

Soon everyone was dressed and ready, and the girls were pretty quick about it too. They were the last ones to leave the Lodging House, but it was really fast for them.

"So we're headed to the Distribution Center?" Becca anticipated.

"Yup." Spot walked a little faster, in hopes that he might catch up soon with the other guys. Luckily for him, Hawk had also stayed behind.

"Do ya's awl plannin' on bein' newsies?" Hawk wondered, thinking that there might be some new recruits soon.

"I guess …what else is there?" Janet had no idea what kind of jobs they had now.

"I'm sure there will be some *fast* food place that you can work at." Michele smiled. It was early, but she was awake now.

"Hardy, har, har." Janet smiled at Michele. "Hopefully **not** McDonalds." 

"Well, let's see. Dere are a couple …some jobs ya need more schoolin' far an' others ya don't." Spot thought of a couple examples. "Like bein' a newsie, workin' in a fac'ory, waitressin', shoe shinin' ya don't need schoolin' far, but dey don't bring in a lotta cash. Den ya get jobs like bein' a nanny, or a somet'ing like dat, an' ya get more money, more reliable jobs." Spot paused. "But ya gotta work harder far dem."

"Well, here we are." Hawk nodded to a building with many people, men and boys mostly, but there were girls, scattered here and there.

"It's bigger than the one in Manhattan." Dianna established.

"Yup." Spot confirmed. "So you'se can watch me sell me papes, an' if ya t'ink dat it's somet'in dat ya might like ta do, den tamorraw, well see if you'se can get ya own papes. Wait here." Spot went to go get in line, some of the boys left Spot in front of him, he being their leader and all. After he got his 100 papes, he came back with a friend. "You'se remembah Fish from yestaday, right?" 

"Sure do." Sarah waited.

"Well, dis is his goil, Raidah." Spot motioned to a girl with blonde hair beside him.

"Hey Raider." Came pretty much all of the girls voices. 

"Ya's new here er sum't'in?" It was pretty obvious to see that they weren't from here.

"Yeah, we stopped by, and were looking for jobs. Not sure how long we'll be here." Becca supplied a logical explanation.

"Ok. Well if ya's lookin' ta be newsies, den I can help ya, if ya need help. But I see ya got Spot here, so ya should be fine." Raider smiled as she pulled her cowboy hat on her head. "Well, I hate ta run, but I got papes ta sell."

"Bye! Nice ta meet ya!" Becca called after her.

"You'll see her at da Lodgin' House tanight." Spot pointed to a group of girls by the gate. "Those are Nightingale, Martini, Bookie an Cane. Dey sell tageddah an' are awl pretty close. Dey stay at da Lodgin' House too." Spot started walking once more. "Well, to da docks so I can sell dese."

"Spot, I'll catch up wit ya at da dock, I'se goin' ta me spot." Hawk had gotten his papes and headed in the opposite direction.

"Okay, see ya then." Spot skimmed the headlines.

The group stumbled along (the girls did, it was SO early) to Spot's selling spot. It was a couple docks from where they saw Wally the shark yesterday, and not far from Spot and his "perch." They watched in awe as customers just came up and bought a paper. Spot had hardly any work to do and in no time at all; all his papes were gone.

"So now we get to go to the docks and do all that fun stuff that we talked about doing last night?" Becca was getting really anxious to beat somebody up.

"Yeah, an' 'round 4 or so, I'se gonna take ya's ta da Goils Lodgin' House." Spot thought of how much fun he was going to have for the next several hours.

"Do I still get to fight someone?" Becca looked right at Spot.

"Yeah, I told ya dat ya'd learn how ta fight." Spot smirked as he thought who was going to be teaching her.

"YAY!" Becca jumped up and down.

"Oh gosh, we're not gonna hear the end of this one…" Janet rolled her eyes.

"Oh shut up." Becca pouted, glaring at Janet.

Spot draped his arm around Becca. "Don't worry, she won't mess wit ya once ya learn how to fight."

Becca was almost dying; Spot had his arm around her!! _'Ye_s_! Finally, mwuhahahahahahaha!!'_

"Almost dere …" Spot trailed off, still keeping his arm around her. _'I t'ink I'll ask her ta be me goil, maybe tanight … er tamorraw night.'_

"Can we go swimming?" Laura asked, walking up to Spot, forcing him to take his arm off of her.

"Yeah." Spot put his arm back at his side. _'Dang it, why'd she have ta come an' do dat? T'ings were goin' poifect …'_ Anyway, they were almost to the dock, Sam and Laura tried to guess which dock it was.

"I'm telling you, it's the third one out." Sam insisted.

"No, it's the fourth one." Laura raised her voice, something she loved to do.

"No." Sam yelled.

"YES!" Laura was *never* wrong …she just took the blame a lot for many things. If it was anybody's fault, it was Laura's. 

"Ya both wrong, it's da second one." Spot squeezed in, his voice louder than both their voices.

"There already?" Sarah remembered it being longer.

"Yeah." Spot turned onto the dock and everyone kind of stepped aside, making way for their Brooklyn Leader. Some of the boys just sold the evening editions, some sold morning, but most of the newsies sold both. If you could just sell morning editions, you were *rich*, and if you only sold evening editions, you were at the top, the best of the best. That was because mornings sold more than evenings. 

"Hey fellas. Listen up," he addressed his boys as he climbed to his *pedestal.* "We got a couple o' newbies, an' dey're gonna stay here far da day." The group of girls all stuck together, until Spot said that they could go and wander. As soon as he said this, they all just went off in little groups, exploring the dock.

"Sarah," Dianna smiled as she ducked her head to keep from hitting it on a beam. "Do you think that there are paddle boats around here?"

"That was so scary! Don't even bring that up again." 

Michele who was still in the dark about Sarah and Dianna's adventure jumped down from a ledge saying "What?"

"Oh … well before we got here, we went to the Doss's house to go tubing and jet ski-ing." Sarah began.

"And Sarah saw a paddle boat and made me go on with her." Dianna glared at Sarah, but was only kidding. "Anyway, it was all fine and good, we were going to go see if the Goodwins were out on their dock, but then the boat just stopped working."

Sarah started laughing, which made Dianna laugh so hard that Sarah had to finish the story. "So Ted Tanis was out there, on the motor boat, and he had to pull us in. it was sooo bad." Michele saw what was so funny, and started laughing along. "And as we he was pulling us in, everybody stared at us, it was soo embarrassing."

"That is so funny Sarah." Michele tried not to laugh more, but since Sarah and Dianna were, she figured it was okay.

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"Becca are ya ready ta beat some one up?" Spot smirked as he walked over to Becca and Janet.

"Sure am!" Becca looked around Spot to see who was going to be teaching her. "Who's my teacher?"

Spot's ego went down a bit. _Is she really dat oblivious? Naw …look at 'er, no one dat pretty can be dat stupid. _"Well, I'se gonna teach ya."

Janet let out a loud laugh, which caused Spot to glare at her. "Sorry Spot." She said in between giggles. 

"Why don't ya go ovah dere," Spot pointed to Laura and Sam, who were watching the conversation intently, "an' go swimmin' or somet'in'."

Janet rolled her eyes and made her way over to Laura and Sam, since Dianna was no where to be found. "Have fun. Becca. I know I will."

"Now dat's she's gone, I can teach ya how ta fight, undistoibed." Spot looked at Becca. "Now, come on at me." Spot walked a distance away, waiting for Becca to run at him.

Becca looked at Spot oddly. _What the heck? I don't want to hurt him! _

"C'mon, pretend like we'se fightin'. Ya won't hoit me, I promise ya." So, without any hesitation, Becca ran at Spot and they started fighting. Spot was surprised on how strong she was, and the shock clearly showed on his face. After a while, he had managed to have her in a head lock, and had blocked a few of her swings. "Now," he showed her, "when ya were like dis …" Spot told her of things to do and things not to do, and all the good punches that he could have thrown at her. 

"Oh … I see." Becca nodded as Spot went on. "So when do I really get to beat someone up?"

"As soon as ya can get me pinned." And with no further comments, Becca threw herself at Spot once again.

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"There you are, I've been looking for you." Janet stood up and brushed off the dirt on her pants.

"Uh oh." Dianna started to back away, looking beyond Janet.

"What is it?"

"I think I found the person I hit." Dianna pointed to a shadow behind Janet. Janet spun around, and looked up to see a huge guy, he was like 6 foot something, and had huge muscles. "I'm sorry uhh, what's your name?"

He said nothing, and just came towards Dianna, cracking his knuckles. Hawk came up after Dianna, figuring that she was up here too long. "Oh great! Just what I need." Hawk didn't like the look on this huge guy's face. "Hey Bull, she didn't mean it. I was teachin' her how ta shoot a sling." Hawk offered. He hated Bull, and doubted that he'd take that as a apology. 

"Maybe she should practice somewheah else. An' it doesn't help dat you'se is teachin' her." Bull had always hated Spot, and especially Hawk. _Now's me chance ta soak him. An' nobody's stoppin' me._

Some other newsies saw what Bull was doing, how he was walking, and figured that there would be a fight. "Fight! Fight!" Some one started, and in no time there was a chant going on. 

Spot who was on the other side of the dock, came running at the sound of "fight" and left Becca still trying to fight him. But as she saw Spot running and heard the chant, she followed him, and was soon ahead of Spot and reached the dock before him. She saw this big newsie going for Hawk. _Yes! This is my chance! I've taken Spot once, and this will be good practice._ So she charged at him, just like Spot had showed her.

Hawk was just about to charge, thinking about how much this was going to hurt in a few hours, when he saw Becca run from behind him and before Hawk could register anything, he felt his fist connecting with Bull's face. 

Bull, who was confused at something hitting him from behind, turned around to see some girl trying to soak him. He laughed out loud, he was almost a foot taller than she was. _Crack! _Something had just connected with his nose. His hand flew to his face, as he backed away, and tried to open his eyes. He looked at his hand first, and saw blood. Then he looked around and saw Hawk. _He'll pay far dis, mark me woids._ He tackled Hawk, knocking him down.

A large group had quickly gathered around the fight, two newsies pushing their way to the front. "Hey! Break it up!" Caleb shouted, trying to separate Hawk and Bull. 

"You stay outta dis, Caleb." Bull grunted as he shoved Caleb out of the way.

"Hey, Bull!" Came Spot's commanding voice, and some of the boys moved aside. Spot quickly glanced around to make sure Becca and her friends were out of the way, and pulled out his cane. With that, he shoved Hawk and Bull apart.

__

Should I jus' take me chances now wit Spot? Bull considered it for a moment. _Ahh, why not._ And so he lunged at Spot.

"What da …" was all Spot could manage before he felt the full force of Bull crashing into him. Hawk was up as soon as Bull got off him, and lunged at Bull, who was ready for him. Suddenly Bull felt many bodies on top of him, which as soon as he got up, he saw were some of the other newsies. Even Caleb had started to fight, and he hated fighting. Bull looked at some of his friends, who were now feeling the scene. _So much fa dem. Aww, who needs 'em anyways?_

By now, Spot had gotten up and started throwing punches at Bull, who wasn't ready to give up. _Right now I'se only glad far one t'ing, dat awl me boys are helpin' me._

And helping him they were. There were 4 big boys holding Bull back, while Spot was giving him a couple of shiners. "Now," Spot glared at Bull, "get out, and if you evah come back, you won't see da light o' anudda day." Spot motioned for the boys to let go of Bull, and they did.

__

Next time, Brooklyn, next time. Were Bull's only thoughts as he got out of there as fast as he could. _Dose guys will be so sorry dat dey didn't help me, I coulda been da leadah o' Brooklyn in no time at awl._ Bull headed to the usual hangout where he and his *friends* hung out.

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"Spot, ya awlright?" Oriole asked his leader. He could almost see the faint traces of a black eye coming on.

"Yeah, I'se good." Spot looked around, his eyes resting on Hawk. "Hey there, can ya stand?" 

Hawk struggled to his feet. "Yeah. Dang." He rubbed his left leg. "It'll be fine, I can still walk."

"I t'ink dat you bettah lay down anyway." Caleb told his friend. "He got ya pretty good, an' a lot o' dose are gonna hurt tamorraw."

"Yeah, you got a bloody nose." Hawk informed Caleb.

"Do I?" Caleb's hand went to his face, and the blood on his hand told him that Hawk wasn't lying. "Darn. Mist is gonna get worried now … 'pecailly cause I don't fight often."

"You shoulda seen da look on Bull's face when ya foist punched him, Hawk." Oriole started laughing. "He was so shocked."

"Now, will someone kindly explain ta me what da heck just happened 'ere?" Spot walked up to the trio, who had sat down and started to clean themselves up.

Hawk closed his eyes, preparing for another beating from Spot. _I ain't nevah gonna hear da end o' dis one._ "Ya see, Spot, it awl started when ya told me dat I had ta come down here and teach … whats 'er name how ta shoot a sling."

"Yeah, I'se listenin'." Spot crossed his arms, waiting for Hawk or someone to continue. But since nobody knew the story like Hawk, Hawk continued.

"So I was teachin' her, an' I said somet'ing jokin'ly, but by accident, the sling shot off … an' I was behind 'er, so it went kinda ovah me head. So she went out ta go see who it hit …an' it hit none oddah den Bull. I was gonna take care o' him-" 

"You were gonna take him?" Oriole smiled at his friend.

"-in a reasonable way." Hawk rolled his eyes. "I wasn't gonna fight 'im. But den dat oddah goil …da one dat ya was teachin' ta fight," Spot nodded, "well she came an' attacked him from da back …dats basically how da fight started."

"Well it was bound ta happen." Spot looked for Becca, who was talking with Janet, Dianna, Sarah, Michele and Laura and Sam.

"Whaddya mean?" Caleb asked, grateful that his bloody nose had finally stopped.

"I found out a while ago from me inside sources, dat Bull an' a bunch o' his friends was plannin' ta take ovah Brooklyn. So it was only a matta of time before dis happened." Spot looked to Hawk, who seemed like he was the worst one. "Undah normal circumstances I wouldn't a let dis fly …but considahin' dat ya were standin' up fa goils an' it woulda happened anyway, I'll let dis fly."

"What?!" Hawk thought for sure that he passed out or something, and he was just imagining this. "I must be dreamin'." He smiled at Spot.

"No, I t'ink you'se awake." Caleb went over and touched one of his bruises.

"Why did ya do dat?" Hawk tired to punch playfully Caleb, but Caleb was to fast. "Dat hoit."

"At least ya know ya ain't dreamin'." Caleb stood up, after he had finished cleaning himself. 

"Ya very lucky Hawk." Spot didn't wait for a reply, as he headed to where the girls were standing. _Now to make sure Becca undahstands what I mean when she ain't ready._

"Here he comes now." Becca whispered to the others, but Spot could hear every word perfectly. 

"Becca, we gotta talk." Spot sternly said, and pulled her away to a separate section. 

"I'm sorry Spot." Becca bit her lip.

"Yeah well next time, when I say ya ain't ready, I mean ya ain't ready. He coulda an' woulda crushed ya if Hawk wasn't dere." Spot decided _better now than never._ "Look, Becca. I don't want nothin' ta happen ta ya, not now, not evah. An' I knows dat I haven't had a girl in quite some time, so I hope I'se doin' dis right but," Spot got down on one knee and looked Becca into blue eyes. "I wanna know if you'll be me goil?"

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	6. Chapter 5

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"Dutchy! You'se in far it now!" Snoddy whispered as he punched his friend in the arm. They just had walked out of Irving Hall, and quickly at that.

"Yeah, I know." Dutchy rubbed his arm where Snoddy had just punched him.

"You shoulda seen da look on Race's face when you'se was dancin'." Snoddy smirked. "He had da meanest scowl I evah have seen."

"Ya know what Snoddy?" Dutchy lowered his voice and slowed his pace.

"What?"

"I t'ink dat I'se fallin' in love wit her, Dragonfly, I mean." Dutchy got a dreamy look on his face, remembering the dances that they danced.

"Ya gotta be kiddin' me!" Snoddy stopped in his tracks. "She's Race's goil!"

"Yeah, I know. But I keep hopin' dat maybe soon dey'll break up er somet'ing. Den I can ask her ta be my goil …"

"Dutchy, I got two woids far ya."

"An' what might dose be?"

"You'se crazy."

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Jack looked around Irving Hall. Just about all of his newsies had found their way back to the Lodging House, or so Jack assumed. Bumlets and Illusion were just leaving, Bumlets had his arm around Illusion and was whispering something in her ear. He looked over to Stress. "Hey Stressie, ya ready?"

"Yeah, I'se ready." Stress looked into Jack's brown eyes. There was something that was on his mind or something he was hiding. "Jack, d'ya wanna tell me somet'ing?"

Jack silently cursed. _She knows._ "Well a'tually, dere is somet'ing on me mind. Maybe we'se bettah sit down." He walked over to a table and Stress didn't like the tone in his voice.

"Jack," Stress demanded as she sat down, "whatsa mattah?"

"Ya see, lately Stress, I haven't really had da time far ya, an' I know dat ya been takin' it's been hurtin' ya. An' now t'ings don't look like dey're gonna get bettah." Jack was looking into her greenish yellow eyes, concentrating on the right words. "An' I don't wanna hurt ya no more Stress."

"Jack-"

"Jus' hear me out, a'aight?" she nodded as Jack continued. "It's jus' dat I don't got time far a relationship …it ain't ya, it's me wit da problems."

"So …we'se ovah." Stress wanted to run out of there, but somethng was holding her back. She'd walk out with her head held high.

"Yeah, I guess we was nevah meant ta be tageddah."

"I see." Stress held back the tears that would eventually come. _'I wondah if dis is how Sara felt when Jack broke up wit her …but he broke up far her when he saw me … I hope dat dere ain't no oddah goil …'_she thought to herself. "Good bye Jack, I'se goin' ta da Lodgin' House ta get some sleep; I'se got papes ta sell in da mornin'." Stress got up and pushed in her chair, and headed out the back entrance.

"Good-bye Stress." Jack whispered out loud as he watched Stress leave, wondering if he had done the right thing.

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Dragonfly panted as she stopped to catch her breath. _'Dang, he can run when he wants ta.' _Dragonfly was running after Race for about 5 minutes straight, hoping that she would catch up with him before he got to the Lodging House. As she turned the corner she saw a lone figure, who was by himself and looked a lot like Race. "Racetrack!" she hissed through the darkness. "Is dat you?"

"What do ya want?" Turns out that it was Race, but he sounded angry and yet glad to see her at the same time. 

"I'se so glad dat I found ya!" She ran up to him and tried to give him a hug, but he shrugged away.

"So now ya's glad ta see me. Dat's a sudden change o' plans."

"Race, I'se so sorry. I didn't mean anyt'ing I said-"

"Well it soah sounded like ya meant it."

"You ain't helpin', ya know dat!"

"Helpin' what, you?" Race stopped walking and looked right at her. "Listen, if ya want Dutchy, go an' get him."

"No!" Dfly cried. "Race …I want you …not Dutchy."

"Yeah?" Race asked cynically. "Well how do I know dis ain't gonna happen again? I'se sick an' tired o' fightin'."

"I'se can change! I'd da anyt'ing fa ya!" 

"Dat's what ya said last time." Race pointed out. He started walking again, towards the Lodging House. "Listen 'fly, I'se really sorry 'bout dat …I didn't have much o' a good day an' ya know how I hate ta dance."

"Yeah, I'se so sorry too …I really didn't mean anyt'ing dat I said, I just got mad an' da woids jus' kept on comin." Dfly let a tear slip down her check. 

Race drapped his arm around her, and kissed her on the check. "It's ok. Maybe next time I'll dance wit ya, since ya like it so much."

And the two continued to the Lodging House, passing the time by chatting as usual as if nothing had happened. When they got there, everyone was heading upstairs, into the bunkrooms. Dragonfly and Race signed in, and they walked up the stairs and went their separate ways, but not before Race kissed Dragonfly good night. 

After she watched Race disappear into the Boys Bunkroom, she climbed up the stairs to the Girls Bunkroom. It used to be a Boys room, but this Lodging House was never that big, and the only official Girls Lodging House was in Brooklyn, which was too far away. So with a lot of coaxing, Jack had persuaded Kloppman to let some girls stay here. So the girls had their own floor, complete with a washroom and loads of bunks. Dragonfly opened the door, to see Aki and Chipper talking and heard Holiday humming a tune in the bathroom. She didn't see Stress, but she figured that Stress was up on the roof with Jack. And Illusion had just walked in the door.

"Hey Illusion." Dragonfly yawned. "How was ya day tiday?"

"Ahh … coulda been bettah. At least Bums was wit me." Illusion smiled, and blushed slightly. "you?"

"Ah …inerestin'. Almost broke up wit Race." Dragonfly sighed and sank down on her bunk. 

"Really?" Holiday called from the bathroom, stepping out to see if Dragonfly was serious.

"Yup." Dragonfly was too tired to go the the washroom to change, so she just slipped on her night clothes there.

"So dat's what Race looked so mad 'bout tanight." Chipper made the connection.

"How'd dat happen?" Aki looked up from brushing her blonde hair.

"He didn't wanna dance, an' I went ovah an' asked Dutchy if 'e wanted ta dance." Dragonfly explained. "Anyways, Race got mad. But we're awl bettah now."

"Wow." Illusion slipped off her flannel shirt for the night.

"Yeah." Dragonfly looked around. "Hey has anyone seen Stress?"

Aki looked at Chipper. "Well, I guess dat I should tell ya's now." Chipper nodded, agreeing with Aki.

"What happened?" Holiday ran out of the bathroom, and joined the cirlce that had formed around Aki.

Aki looked at the window one last time and then said in a hushed whisper, "Her and Jack broke up tonight." 

Dragonfly gasped. "You'se kiddin'?!"

"No! I'se ain't." Aki looked to the window again. "She went up ta da roof, an' should be comin' down soon. But don't let on dat ya's know, a'aight?" 

"Okay, we won't." Holiday spoke for everyone.

"She only told us, me and chippah, an' I don't know if she wants ya's ta know yet." Aki went back to her bunk and slipped in.

A knock came from the door, and as if on cue, Stress slipped into the room. From spending her nights on the rood with Jack, she had timed herself perfectly so she knew exactly when to come down. "Come on in, Kloppy." Stress said. All the girls were in their bunks or close to them. 

Kloppman came in their bunkroom and looked around, making sure that everyone was there. "G'night goils, be in heah bright an' early tamorraw mornin'. Get ya rest." Kloppman turned off the lights and went downstairs to close up for the night.

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Back in Brooklyn…

"Uhh … goils I t'ink dat you'se should start tryin ta act like us," Spot was saying. "If ya wanna go down an' meet some o' da guys.

"Aww … do we have to?" Becca figured if she asked Spot, then he might let them. They had gotten very close …in the past hour as she was trying to explain a little more about them.

"Yeah, I'se really t'ink dat ya awl should. You'se gonna have ta get used ta doin' it, people are gonna t'ink you'se crazy."

"You don't think we're crazy?" Sam was astonished. 

"Well … I'se got me doubts." Spot looked to Hawk, who looked like he thought the same thing.

"Oh." Sam thought for a moment that they actually convinced him. As if the clothes and the *accents* didn't explain enough.

"So we'se all agreed?" Spot glared at everyone to make sure they were agreed. "Ac'ually, ya's can keep ya accents. But ya have ta, have ta, use da kinda woids dat we use here. No movies, flicks if ya will."

"Okay. Wanna give us a list of things that we say weird?" Dianna wondered how he excepted them to use the normal terms, if he didn't tell them.

"Well …let's see." Spot mentally ran through a bunch of words that he thought they said weird. "Okay, da police are da bulls, or coppahs."

Spot and Hawk went on to tell them to use these words instead of this …and by the time they were done, another half-hour had passed. "Now, tamorraw I'll take ya ta da Goils Lodgin' House, but foist, if ya want, ya an hang out wit me at da docks in da mornin'."

"I wanna go to the docks!" Janet *screamed*. She really wanted to go there and watch hot guys swimming in their underwear. 

"Can I beat somebody up?" Becca crossed her fingers. Lately she'd been having good luck, why stop now?

"Why would ya wanna beat someone up?" Hawk looked at her like she was crazy. _'Goils is so weird…'_

"It's been one of my lifelong dreams …I just wanna learn how to fight." Becca had this thing about beating someone up.

"I guess I could show ya how to fight." Spot thought about it for a while longer. "Yeah, a pretty goil like you has gotta learn how ta defend 'erself." Spot smirked at Becca.

"We can SWIM!" Michele nudged Sarah, who just smiled and said nothing, but her face said 'I-told-you-so.'

"Can I shoot a slingshot?" Dianna put in her two cents. "I've waited my whole life to shoot a slingshot, but they never had them at Cracker Barrel."

"Yeah, we can do dat do. Hawk here is an expert at slingshots, he'll teach ya, right?" Spot suggested.

"Uh …sure." Hawk looked at the time. "It's getting' late, I'se gonna go downstairs an' see if dere's a pokah game goin' on." Spot nodded, and Hawk went out the door, heading downstairs.

"Okay." Spot looked at the clock. "Yeah, it's almost 9. We get up at 6 tamorraw." 

"SIX?" Laura's eyes popped out. "WHY?"

"Because ya gotta get up so ya can get ya papes, so ya can sell dem an' make some money." Spot offered. Another thing that was *common* knowledge.

"Oh. I never thought of that." Laura thought about it a little more, and then it kind of made sense, but then her head hurt so she stopped thinking.

"So, you'se awl fine wit what we'se doin' tamorraw?" Spot asked one last time.

"Yeah, but I wanna know when we get to go to Manhattan!" Janet needed to see her Blink, before some other boy stealer saw him.

"Uh …I'll talk ta Jack soon …if he's okay wit it …den I don't got a problem." Spot thought that maybe two days from now he'd go.

"Oh, all right." Janet pictured Blink and she was fine.

Michele yawned. "Man, I'm tired guys. I didn't realize that traveling could be this tiring!" 

"Yeah, I'm ready to go to bed." Sarah chipped in. "And it sounds like we have a busy day tomorrow too." Sarah went over to the bunk that she had picked out earlier.

"Yeah Becca watch out for the sharks." Janet climbed into the bed above Dianna's. Sure enough, Dianna had the bottom, like Race, and Janet had the top, like Blink. And without meaning to, Laura was on the bottom bunk across from Dianna, like Snipes ((he he he)) as Sam was on the top.

"Ha ha. Very funny Janet." Becca climbed into the top bunk, on the other side of Janet.

"I'se kinda shocked dat Wally was dere taday." Spot went to get his stuff from one of the bunks, to go get changed.

"Wally?" Sarah sounded so clueless.

"Yeah, da shark." Spot could only picture the weird looks that he was getting. "One o' me boys named da shark dat. Da kid was 10 yeahs old an' he was bored, a'aight?" Spot said as he went into the washroom.

"Whatever you say Spot." Becca smiled, waiting for him for him to come out.

"You know, I don't think I've ever went to bed this early before." Janet thought out loud.

"That was random." Sam yawned as she turned over in her bed.

"No … can't yawn…" Laura tried to not yawn, but when someone yawns, you can't help but yawn. So as Spot walked out of the washroom, he came into a room with all the girls yawning. Becca had been watching Spot out of the corner of her eye, and did everything in her will not to scream, or say anything.

"Well, looks like you'se is awl tired." Spot said, himself yawning.

"Hey, I wouldn't be talking, Mister-I'm-*not*-yawning." Becca snapped from her bunk.

"Well, since you'se tired, go ta sleep." Spot climbed into a nearby bunk, close to the girls, especially Becca. "I'se going ta bed, anyway it's almost 10:30."

"Okay." Sam was preparing to do her goodnight rounds. "Goodnight Laura."

"Goodnight Sam."

"Goodnight Sarah."

"Goodnight Sam."

"Goodnight Michele."

"Goodnight Sam."

"Goodnight Dianna."

"Goodnight Sam."

"Goodnight Becca."

"Goodnight Sam."

"Goodnight Janet."

"Goodnight Sam."

"Goodnight Spot."

"You don't evah stop do ya?" 

"Nope."

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	7. Chapter 6

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The next morning, the first person was up at 5:30, and it was none other than Arg. He had to be the first one up, considering that it was his job to wake everyone else up. He started his usual routine; checking and counting all the names that had signed in, checking which newsies owed him money. He'd make himself a quick breakfast, fi he had time, and by then is was just about six, and he would walk up the creaky stairs to the 2nd floor. He'd go in, waking up all the sleeping newsies, one by one, until they were are all awake. Then he'd trudge up the next flight of stairs to more sleeping newsboys.

"C'mon! Get up, get up!" He brought his broom in with him, to start sweeping the floors, but it was more commonly used to hit the newsies that refused to get up.

Moans started coming from some of the boys in the room, several getting up and heading for the washroom. "Spot!" he walked over to where he was sleeping. "You got guests ta wake up!"

"A'aight, I'se up." Spot sighed, sitting up and looking at Hawk, who was next to him.

"Ya know, I had da weirdest dream las' night." Hawk mumbled.

"Yeah me too …somet'ing like dese goils came an' dey were from da future err somet'ing." Spot finished.

Spot and Hawk turned around at the sound of someone falling out of bed. "Oh crap, it ain't a dream." Hawk fell back into his bed, seeing that the someone who had fallen out was none other than Becca.

Spot, on the other hand, saw that it was Becca, and hurried over to her to make sure she was all right. It was the first time that Spot had felt this way about a girl in a very long time. _'Ever since Bookie an' I…'_ "Are ya awlright?" 

Becca tried to open her eyes, blinking at the bright light. "Huh?" Came her only reply.

"I asked ya if ya were awlright. Ya fell from da top bunk." Spot stated the obvious to a sleepy Becca.

"Oh …forgot I was on the top …ouch." She rubbed her leg as she tried to stand up. But this only made her fall into Spot, because as she was rubbing her leg, it gave out and Spot was there to catch her. "Thanks." She blushed slightly.

"Ya sure ya gonna be fine, now?" Spot doubled checked, helping her to the empty bunk below her.

"Yeah, lucky you were there to catch me, or I would have fallen twice." Becca gazed at Spot, still not fully awake. 

Spot just couldn't take his eyes off her, until Hawk walked up to him and waved his hand in front of his face. "Hey, anybody home? Ya gotta get ready!"

"Oh, yeah. T'anks Hawk." Spot got up. "Can ya get da others up?"

"That's not necessary." Janet popped up, and Becca and Spot looked to the girls who were awake and had watched the whole scene from their bunks.

Becca blushed and looked at Spot, who was caught off guard, and just reminded the girls that they had to get up and get dressed in their clothes, their *new* ones. 

"Aww, look at the lovebirds, Spot and Becca…" Janet aww'ed as she went by. 

"Ouch! That hurt!" Dianna exclaimed as she sat up and rubbed her head. "Stupid bunk bed."

"Did you just hit your head?" Sarah laughed.

"Yeah. Well I've hit it once for today." Dianna smiled happily thinking that she wouldn't hit her head anymore. 

"Whatever." Sam climbed off of the top bunk, instead of falling out, which was the way to do it.

Soon everyone was dressed and ready, and the girls were pretty quick about it too. They were the last ones to leave the Lodging House, but it was really fast for them.

"So we're headed to the Distribution Center?" Becca anticipated.

"Yup." Spot walked a little faster, in hopes that he might catch up soon with the other guys. Luckily for him, Hawk had also stayed behind.

"Do ya's awl plannin' on bein' newsies?" Hawk wondered, thinking that there might be some new recruits soon.

"I guess …what else is there?" Janet had no idea what kind of jobs they had now.

"I'm sure there will be some *fast* food place that you can work at." Michele smiled. It was early, but she was awake now.

"Hardy, har, har." Janet smiled at Michele. "Hopefully **not** McDonalds." 

"Well, let's see. Dere are a couple …some jobs ya need more schoolin' far an' others ya don't." Spot thought of a couple examples. "Like bein' a newsie, workin' in a fac'ory, waitressin', shoe shinin' ya don't need schoolin' far, but dey don't bring in a lotta cash. Den ya get jobs like bein' a nanny, or a somet'ing like dat, an' ya get more money, more reliable jobs." Spot paused. "But ya gotta work harder far dem."

"Well, here we are." Hawk nodded to a building with many people, men and boys mostly, but there were girls, scattered here and there.

"It's bigger than the one in Manhattan." Dianna established.

"Yup." Spot confirmed. "So you'se can watch me sell me papes, an' if ya t'ink dat it's somet'in dat ya might like ta do, den tamorraw, well see if you'se can get ya own papes. Wait here." Spot went to go get in line, some of the boys left Spot in front of him, he being their leader and all. After he got his 100 papes, he came back with a friend. "You'se remembah Fish from yestaday, right?" 

"Sure do." Sarah waited.

"Well, dis is his goil, Raidah." Spot motioned to a girl with blonde hair beside him.

"Hey Raider." Came pretty much all of the girls voices. 

"Ya's new here er sum't'in?" It was pretty obvious to see that they weren't from here.

"Yeah, we stopped by, and were looking for jobs. Not sure how long we'll be here." Becca supplied a logical explanation.

"Ok. Well if ya's lookin' ta be newsies, den I can help ya, if ya need help. But I see ya got Spot here, so ya should be fine." Raider smiled as she pulled her cowboy hat on her head. "Well, I hate ta run, but I got papes ta sell."

"Bye! Nice ta meet ya!" Becca called after her.

"You'll see her at da Lodgin' House tanight." Spot pointed to a group of girls by the gate. "Those are Nightingale, Martini, Bookie an Cane. Dey sell tageddah an' are awl pretty close. Dey stay at da Lodgin' House too." Spot started walking once more. "Well, to da docks so I can sell dese."

"Spot, I'll catch up wit ya at da dock, I'se goin' ta me spot." Hawk had gotten his papes and headed in the opposite direction.

"Okay, see ya then." Spot skimmed the headlines.

The group stumbled along (the girls did, it was SO early) to Spot's selling spot. It was a couple docks from where they saw Wally the shark yesterday, and not far from Spot and his "perch." They watched in awe as customers just came up and bought a paper. Spot had hardly any work to do and in no time at all; all his papes were gone.

"So now we get to go to the docks and do all that fun stuff that we talked about doing last night?" Becca was getting really anxious to beat somebody up.

"Yeah, an' 'round 4 or so, I'se gonna take ya's ta da Goils Lodgin' House." Spot thought of how much fun he was going to have for the next several hours.

"Do I still get to fight someone?" Becca looked right at Spot.

"Yeah, I told ya dat ya'd learn how ta fight." Spot smirked as he thought who was going to be teaching her.

"YAY!" Becca jumped up and down.

"Oh gosh, we're not gonna hear the end of this one…" Janet rolled her eyes.

"Oh shut up." Becca pouted, glaring at Janet.

Spot draped his arm around Becca. "Don't worry, she won't mess wit ya once ya learn how to fight."

Becca was almost dying; Spot had his arm around her!! _'Ye_s_! Finally, mwuhahahahahahaha!!'_

"Almost dere …" Spot trailed off, still keeping his arm around her. _'I t'ink I'll ask her ta be me goil, maybe tanight … er tamorraw night.'_

"Can we go swimming?" Laura asked, walking up to Spot, forcing him to take his arm off of her.

"Yeah." Spot put his arm back at his side. _'Dang it, why'd she have ta come an' do dat? T'ings were goin' poifect …'_ Anyway, they were almost to the dock, Sam and Laura tried to guess which dock it was.

"I'm telling you, it's the third one out." Sam insisted.

"No, it's the fourth one." Laura raised her voice, something she loved to do.

"No." Sam yelled.

"YES!" Laura was *never* wrong …she just took the blame a lot for many things. If it was anybody's fault, it was Laura's. 

"Ya both wrong, it's da second one." Spot squeezed in, his voice louder than both their voices.

"There already?" Sarah remembered it being longer.

"Yeah." Spot turned onto the dock and everyone kind of stepped aside, making way for their Brooklyn Leader. Some of the boys just sold the evening editions, some sold morning, but most of the newsies sold both. If you could just sell morning editions, you were *rich*, and if you only sold evening editions, you were at the top, the best of the best. That was because mornings sold more than evenings. 

"Hey fellas. Listen up," he addressed his boys as he climbed to his *pedestal.* "We got a couple o' newbies, an' dey're gonna stay here far da day." The group of girls all stuck together, until Spot said that they could go and wander. As soon as he said this, they all just went off in little groups, exploring the dock.

"Sarah," Dianna smiled as she ducked her head to keep from hitting it on a beam. "Do you think that there are paddle boats around here?"

"That was so scary! Don't even bring that up again." 

Michele who was still in the dark about Sarah and Dianna's adventure jumped down from a ledge saying "What?"

"Oh … well before we got here, we went to the Doss's house to go tubing and jet ski-ing." Sarah began.

"And Sarah saw a paddle boat and made me go on with her." Dianna glared at Sarah, but was only kidding. "Anyway, it was all fine and good, we were going to go see if the Goodwins were out on their dock, but then the boat just stopped working."

Sarah started laughing, which made Dianna laugh so hard that Sarah had to finish the story. "So Ted Tanis was out there, on the motor boat, and he had to pull us in. it was sooo bad." Michele saw what was so funny, and started laughing along. "And as we he was pulling us in, everybody stared at us, it was soo embarrassing."

"That is so funny Sarah." Michele tried not to laugh more, but since Sarah and Dianna were, she figured it was okay.

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"Becca are ya ready ta beat some one up?" Spot smirked as he walked over to Becca and Janet.

"Sure am!" Becca looked around Spot to see who was going to be teaching her. "Who's my teacher?"

Spot's ego went down a bit. _Is she really dat oblivious? Naw …look at 'er, no one dat pretty can be dat stupid. _"Well, I'se gonna teach ya."

Janet let out a loud laugh, which caused Spot to glare at her. "Sorry Spot." She said in between giggles. 

"Why don't ya go ovah dere," Spot pointed to Laura and Sam, who were watching the conversation intently, "an' go swimmin' or somet'in'."

Janet rolled her eyes and made her way over to Laura and Sam, since Dianna was no where to be found. "Have fun. Becca. I know I will."

"Now dat's she's gone, I can teach ya how ta fight, undistoibed." Spot looked at Becca. "Now, come on at me." Spot walked a distance away, waiting for Becca to run at him.

Becca looked at Spot oddly. _What the heck? I don't want to hurt him! _

"C'mon, pretend like we'se fightin'. Ya won't hoit me, I promise ya." So, without any hesitation, Becca ran at Spot and they started fighting. Spot was surprised on how strong she was, and the shock clearly showed on his face. After a while, he had managed to have her in a head lock, and had blocked a few of her swings. "Now," he showed her, "when ya were like dis …" Spot told her of things to do and things not to do, and all the good punches that he could have thrown at her. 

"Oh … I see." Becca nodded as Spot went on. "So when do I really get to beat someone up?"

"As soon as ya can get me pinned." And with no further comments, Becca threw herself at Spot once again.

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"There you are, I've been looking for you." Janet stood up and brushed off the dirt on her pants.

"Uh oh." Dianna started to back away, looking beyond Janet.

"What is it?"

"I think I found the person I hit." Dianna pointed to a shadow behind Janet. Janet spun around, and looked up to see a huge guy, he was like 6 foot something, and had huge muscles. "I'm sorry uhh, what's your name?"

He said nothing, and just came towards Dianna, cracking his knuckles. Hawk came up after Dianna, figuring that she was up here too long. "Oh great! Just what I need." Hawk didn't like the look on this huge guy's face. "Hey Bull, she didn't mean it. I was teachin' her how ta shoot a sling." Hawk offered. He hated Bull, and doubted that he'd take that as a apology. 

"Maybe she should practice somewheah else. An' it doesn't help dat you'se is teachin' her." Bull had always hated Spot, and especially Hawk. _Now's me chance ta soak him. An' nobody's stoppin' me._

Some other newsies saw what Bull was doing, how he was walking, and figured that there would be a fight. "Fight! Fight!" Some one started, and in no time there was a chant going on. 

Spot who was on the other side of the dock, came running at the sound of "fight" and left Becca still trying to fight him. But as she saw Spot running and heard the chant, she followed him, and was soon ahead of Spot and reached the dock before him. She saw this big newsie going for Hawk. _Yes! This is my chance! I've taken Spot once, and this will be good practice._ So she charged at him, just like Spot had showed her.

Hawk was just about to charge, thinking about how much this was going to hurt in a few hours, when he saw Becca run from behind him and before Hawk could register anything, he felt his fist connecting with Bull's face. 

Bull, who was confused at something hitting him from behind, turned around to see some girl trying to soak him. He laughed out loud, he was almost a foot taller than she was. _Crack! _Something had just connected with his nose. His hand flew to his face, as he backed away, and tried to open his eyes. He looked at his hand first, and saw blood. Then he looked around and saw Hawk. _He'll pay far dis, mark me woids._ He tackled Hawk, knocking him down.

A large group had quickly gathered around the fight, two newsies pushing their way to the front. "Hey! Break it up!" Caleb shouted, trying to separate Hawk and Bull. 

"You stay outta dis, Caleb." Bull grunted as he shoved Caleb out of the way.

"Hey, Bull!" Came Spot's commanding voice, and some of the boys moved aside. Spot quickly glanced around to make sure Becca and her friends were out of the way, and pulled out his cane. With that, he shoved Hawk and Bull apart.

__

Should I jus' take me chances now wit Spot? Bull considered it for a moment. _Ahh, why not._ And so he lunged at Spot.

"What da …" was all Spot could manage before he felt the full force of Bull crashing into him. Hawk was up as soon as Bull got off him, and lunged at Bull, who was ready for him. Suddenly Bull felt many bodies on top of him, which as soon as he got up, he saw were some of the other newsies. Even Caleb had started to fight, and he hated fighting. Bull looked at some of his friends, who were now feeling the scene. _So much fa dem. Aww, who needs 'em anyways?_

By now, Spot had gotten up and started throwing punches at Bull, who wasn't ready to give up. _Right now I'se only glad far one t'ing, dat awl me boys are helpin' me._

And helping him they were. There were 4 big boys holding Bull back, while Spot was giving him a couple of shiners. "Now," Spot glared at Bull, "get out, and if you evah come back, you won't see da light o' anudda day." Spot motioned for the boys to let go of Bull, and they did.

__

Next time, Brooklyn, next time. Were Bull's only thoughts as he got out of there as fast as he could. _Dose guys will be so sorry dat dey didn't help me, I coulda been da leadah o' Brooklyn in no time at awl._ Bull headed to the usual hangout where he and his *friends* hung out.

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	8. Chapter 7

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"Spot, ya awlright?" Oriole asked his leader. He could almost see the faint traces of a black eye coming on.

"Yeah, I'se good." Spot looked around, his eyes resting on Hawk. "Hey there, can ya stand?" 

Hawk struggled to his feet. "Yeah. Dang." He rubbed his left leg. "It'll be fine, I can still walk."

"I t'ink dat you bettah lay down anyway." Caleb told his friend. "He got ya pretty good, an' a lot o' dose are gonna hurt tamorraw."

"Yeah, you got a bloody nose." Hawk informed Caleb.

"Do I?" Caleb's hand went to his face, and the blood on his hand told him that Hawk wasn't lying. "Darn. Mist is gonna get worried now … 'pecailly cause I don't fight often."

"You shoulda seen da look on Bull's face when ya foist punched him, Hawk." Oriole started laughing. "He was so shocked."

"Now, will someone kindly explain ta me what da heck just happened 'ere?" Spot walked up to the trio, who had sat down and started to clean themselves up.

Hawk closed his eyes, preparing for another beating from Spot. _I ain't nevah gonna hear da end o' dis one._ "Ya see, Spot, it awl started when ya told me dat I had ta come down here and teach … whats 'er name how ta shoot a sling."

"Yeah, I'se listenin'." Spot crossed his arms, waiting for Hawk or someone to continue. But since nobody knew the story like Hawk, Hawk continued.

"So I was teachin' her, an' I said somet'ing jokin'ly, but by accident, the sling shot off … an' I was behind 'er, so it went kinda ovah me head. So she went out ta go see who it hit …an' it hit none oddah den Bull. I was gonna take care o' him-" 

"You were gonna take him?" Oriole smiled at his friend.

"-in a reasonable way." Hawk rolled his eyes. "I wasn't gonna fight 'im. But den dat oddah goil …da one dat ya was teachin' ta fight," Spot nodded, "well she came an' attacked him from da back …dats basically how da fight started."

"Well it was bound ta happen." Spot looked for Becca, who was talking with Janet, Dianna, Sarah, Michele and Laura and Sam.

"Whaddya mean?" Caleb asked, grateful that his bloody nose had finally stopped.

"I found out a while ago from me inside sources, dat Bull an' a bunch o' his friends was plannin' ta take ovah Brooklyn. So it was only a matta of time before dis happened." Spot looked to Hawk, who seemed like he was the worst one. "Undah normal circumstances I wouldn't a let dis fly …but considahin' dat ya were standin' up fa goils an' it woulda happened anyway, I'll let dis fly."

"What?!" Hawk thought for sure that he passed out or something, and he was just imagining this. "I must be dreamin'." He smiled at Spot.

"No, I t'ink you'se awake." Caleb went over and touched one of his bruises.

"Why did ya do dat?" Hawk tired to punch playfully Caleb, but Caleb was to fast. "Dat hoit."

"At least ya know ya ain't dreamin'." Caleb stood up, after he had finished cleaning himself. 

"Ya very lucky Hawk." Spot didn't wait for a reply, as he headed to where the girls were standing. _Now to make sure Becca undahstands what I mean when she ain't ready._

"Here he comes now." Becca whispered to the others, but Spot could hear every word perfectly. 

"Becca, we gotta talk." Spot sternly said, and pulled her away to a separate section. 

"I'm sorry Spot." Becca bit her lip.

"Yeah well next time, when I say ya ain't ready, I mean ya ain't ready. He coulda an' woulda crushed ya if Hawk wasn't dere." Spot decided _better now than never._ "Look, Becca. I don't want nothin' ta happen ta ya, not now, not evah. An' I knows dat I haven't had a girl in quite some time, so I hope I'se doin' dis right but," Spot got down on one knee and looked Becca into blue eyes. "I wanna know if you'll be me goil?"

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"Aww, look at them over there." Janet watched. Then she saw Spot get down on his knee. "Oh my gosh!!! This isn't happening!"

"I wonder …" Dianna trailed off.

Then they saw Becca kiss him. "AHHH!!! She's the first one!!!" Janet jumped up and down.

"Hey, calm down, don't wanna attract too much attention to us." Sarah pulled Janet down. 

"Wow, I can't believe that he did it!" Michele added, shocked. "Did you see him, putting his arm around her and all that stuff."

"Yeah, it was like love at first sight." Sam agreed.

"Well it's about time, I was getting sick of all the flirting." Janet could only hope that they got to Manhattan soon. 

"Aww, I'm so excited for her." Dianna thought out loud.

"Well, you know what they say." Janet stated, in a daze.

"No, what?" Laura asked. Sometimes she could be so clueless.

"Once you got a guy …well we're down to six. Wonder who is next." Janet looked around their little circle. 

"Hey," Hawk broke through their circle, making room for Caleb and Oriole. "did I jus' see what I t'ink I saw?"

"Yeah, I think you did." Dianna moved over.

"You'se right, dey do talk funny." A boy with black hair said to another boy.

"Well, I guess ya could say dat. But since dey ain't from 'round heah." The boy with blonde hair said to the black haired boy.

"Goils, I want ya's ta meet some o'' me good friends." Hawk introduced the boys. "Dis one, with da blonde hair is Caleb, an' dis is Oriole."

"Nice to meet you boys." Janet said first. "I'm Janet and these are, Dianna, Sarah, Michele, Laura (she's Dianna's sister) and her friend Sam." Each girl nodded, said "hello" or waved when Janet called their names. "And Becca is over there with Spot."

"Hey Hawk, wheahs da one dat spitshook?" Oriole asked, scanning the girls to see which one he thought would do it.

"Dat one, wit da brown hair. Dianna." Hawk smiled. _Nevah would I have evah imagined dat a goil would spitshake …_ Dianna gave a little wave and looked at the ground.

Oriole spit in his hand and held it out to Dianna. "Must I?" She grimaced and looked to Hawk, who just turned away, laughing. Slowly, she spit in her hand, and then quickly finished the shake.

"Now I can proudly say dat I've spit shaken wit 3 goils." Oriole beamed. "Ya sure ya don't want a turn, Caleb?"

"Naw, she looks grossed out 'nough." Caleb laughed a little.

"Anyway," Hawk cut back in, "As I was sayin', is Spot an' Becca an item now?"

"I have no idea." Janet bit her lip. "I saw them kiss and everything, I would assume so."

"Are you okay, from the fight?" Dianna couldn't take this guilty feeling anymore. "I honestly didn't mean to shot the sling shot, I turned around and it just slipped, did it hit you at all?"

"Yeah, I'se okay, 'cept far a few bruises here an' there." Hawk turned to Caleb. "Does me eye look really bad?"

"It's getting' there bud." Caleb said as he looked a little closer. 

"It's okay, though, I talked ta Spot an' he said dat it was an accident, an' it ain't ya fault." Hawk finished, patting his right eye and already feeling the pain.

"If you say so." Dianna sighed a sigh of relief. "Yeah, I remember seeing you in the fight." She directed it to Caleb.

"Yeah I was dere, jus' helpin me buddy." Caleb kind of forgot that he was in a fight. "Oh an' goils," Caleb made sure he got all of their full attention, "stay away from Bull …he's bad news. If ya evah see him again, get someone, 'kay?"

The girls nodded and continued to listen to Hawk and Oriole's point of view of the fight.

Finally, after an hour or so, things began to return to normal. Caleb and Oriole's girls (Mist and Smirks, respectively) had come back from selling papers, and the 11 of them ((Becca is still with Spot …hmm, wonder what they are doing??)) had gotten to know each other pretty well. Caleb could be quite a talker, he just had to warm up a little bit. And so they all decided to go swimming for a little bit. Even Sarah went in, only because Caleb and Oriole had threatened to throw her in.

"As long as that shark doesn't come back." Sarah checked the water one more time before jumping in.

"Oh, ya mean Wally?" Oriole dunked Caleb. "He won't hurt a-" Oriole was abruptly cut off as his mouth was filled with water.

"Fly." Smirks finished for him. "That should teach him to-" Now it was Smirks turn to go under water, someone ((or thing, dum dum dum!!!)) had pulled her under.

"IT'S that SHARK!!!" Sarah screamed as she hurriedly swam back to the rope, to which she clung to with her life. 

"Sarah!" Michele said, diving in the water. "it's just Oriole." She said after she came up. "See?"

Sarah spun around to see Smirks and Oriole laughing. "You'se really afraid o' Wally, ain'tcha?" Came a voice up high from the dock.

"Well it's about time you an' Becca are finished!" Hawk yelled from the water. This made Becca blush five shades darker than Spot's suspenders.

"Hey, you'se makin' fun o' me goil?" Spot smiled, happy to see that Hawk and Caleb along with the other boys that got hurt were in the water. Even though the salt water would hurt, it would help their bruises in the long run.

"Well …I wouldn't wanna get in trouble wit da feahless leadah o' Brooklyn." Hawk joked, and waited for Spot to do something.

Spot jumped in the water. And Hawk swam. 

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"So Spot," Becca grinned mischievously, lying next to Spot. Everyone had gotten out of the water and were drying off. "Why do you wear a key around your neck?" she reached for his key and pulled it close to her.

"Oh dat?" Spot sat up and took it off, handing it to her. "When I was liddle, I used ta get bloody noses awl da time. So me mudda found a key an' put it 'round me neck. Supposedly it stopped da bloody noses er somet'ing." Spot explained, lying back down.

"Oh. Do you still get bloody noses?" Becca studied the key up close. 

"Naw. Do ya wanna wear it?" 

"Only if you don't mind." Becca smiled.

"Well since you'se me goil." Spot leaned in and kissed Becca.

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"Well if it ain't Sam be nimble, Sam be quick." Dianna was on Spot's perch, and was having more fun. She figured that since she wasn't shooting anything, she couldn't get into any more fights. And so was re-enacting some scenes from the movie.

"What?" Sam was just talking to Laura, who were still debating if they were going to swim again or not.

"It's from the movie." Dianna explained. "Hey, when you're bored and have nothing else to do …"

"Yeah. I guess." Sam turned back to Laura and headed to the end of the dock (by the land), where Laura had spotted a pretzel stand. 

"Is that all they ever eat? Pretzels?" Laura was beginning to want to go home. 

"I don't know. Maybe we'll see something better." Sam looked around for something better, but found no such thing. "Yeah, maybe I want to go home too. At least there I could see impmon when I wanted to."

"Yeah …" Laura went over and bought a pretzel. "What else can we do?"

"Hmm…let's got back to the dock and see who we can antagonize!"

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"So can one of you," Janet started to ask Mist, Caleb, Smirks and Oriole, "refresh my memory on how you play poker?"

They all looked at her like she was crazy.

"Back home we might have played different, and I just want to learn how to play by your …uh… rules."

"Oh." Smirks fished around in her pocket for a deck of cards. "Yeah, as soon as I cin find some. Oriole, ya got any?"

"Uhh, yeah." He tossed her a deck. "Dis should be interestin'." He looked to Caleb. "Smirks tryin' ta teach."

"Hey!" She punched him in the arm. "I'se a good teachah."

"Well if we'se gonna have a game, den count me in!" Mist slid up, forming a circle between the three of them.

"Goils …" Oriole said, rubbing his arm.

"Yeah, ya can nevah get rid o' dem." Caleb agreed.

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"C'mere ya liddle-" Spot puffed as he chased after Becca.

"Ya little what?" She said, sliding in between two beams of wood, losing Spot.

Spot kept on running, aware that Becca just ducked into a couple of beams, but he figured that he could beat her since she didn't know where she was going. And he was right, as he rounded the corner; he caught Becca by the waist. "Gotcha." He pulled her closer to him. "Now, me cane…" He waited for her to hand over his cane. 

Becca sighed and took his cane out from behind her back, and placed it into his outreached hand. "If you have to have it back…" Becca eyed his slingshot, but Spot was to busy looking at his cane to notice. 

"Yeah, I kinda gotta have it." He draped his arm around her as he went to her side.

"That's okay …I understand." A smile crept on Becca's mouth. "But since you have your cane, then you won't be needing this!" She pulled out his slingshot and took off, running the opposite way that they were walking.

"What the…" Spot looked to see what she had taken. "Becca!" he yelled, realizing that his slingshot was gone, and dashed in the direction that Becca was heading.

He caught up in no time, this time he got her by her free hand. Spot pulled Becca closer to him, grabbing her by her arm and pulling her into a soft kiss. As Spot came up for a breath, he gently took back his slingshot and whispered to her, "Now, willya stop takin' me t'ings?"

Becca just smirked and kissed him again.

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"Don't you think that we should be heading to this new house that we're staying at?" Sarah asked Michele, gazing out into the river.

"You would think." Michele rested her back against a nearby post. "But it's really nice here…" She stretched out her long legs.

"Yeah." Sarah sat down, taking in all the sights along the river.

"Hey," Came a voice from behind them. "Don't you think that we should be leaving soon?" Janet joined Sarah and Michele, Dianna following and sitting down.

"Yeah, we were just talking about that." Sarah replied dazed.

"I would have said something to Becca or Spot …but…" Janet glanced to where they were. "They look a little preoccupied."

Sarah just nodded; she was getting a little drowsy. _Something to do with the after noon sun and the water …_she thought as she ran a hand through her short blonde hair. "Hey Dianna, do you think that they have lemons here?"

"Well … you never know…" Dianna yawned. "Thinking about lightening your hair again?"

"How did you ever know?"

"Just call it a wild stab in the dark." Dianna turned and looked at Sarah, who just smiled back.

"Hey goils, I'd like ya's ta meet anodda one o' me friends." Smirks swished her red hair as she walked to the group. "Dis is Bookie," a short girl with short brown hair waved, "an' dis is Martini." 

"Heya guys!" Martini chirped, smiling as her blue eyes sparkled. "I'se been told dat dis is ya first time in da city."

"Actually, I've been to the-" Janet started to say, but was quickly cut off by Sam, who had joined the gang when her and Laura got bored. 

"No, this is our first time here." Sam smiled sweetly as Martini got a confused look on her face.

"Oh … well I'd be more den happy ta show ya 'round if ya need it." Martini looked to Bookie, who nodded in agreement.

"Soah, I'd love ta help ya out." Bookie offered. "And alla you'se are…?"

"I wanna say everyone's name!" Sam called out, jumping up and down.

"Knock yourself out." Dianna answered, since no one else looked like they wanted to do it. 

"YAY!!" Sam stopped jumping and started talking at 576 words per minute. "Well … this is Laura, Dianna they are sisters Michele, Sarah and Janet. There's seven of us though." Sam pointed to Spot. "Becca is over there with Spot."

"What?" Bookie rubbed her eyes and did a double take of Spot. "Who da heck is he wit?"

"That's Becca." Sam beamed, proud of herself that she got everyone.

"Hey now, Bookie." Martini put an arm on her friend's shoulder. "Maybe he's just tellin' her 'bout New Yawk."

Spot picked that moment to kiss Becca again. "Oh, he's tellin' her alla 'bout New Yawk all right!" Bookie shouted, walking over there.

"Uhh …sorry guys, I'll be right back!" Martini chased after her Bookie, who was already half way to Spot.

"I take it that this isn't good …" Janet blinked, staring at the scene that was about to unfold.

"Yeah, I couldn't have said it better." Smirks bit her lip … and waited to see what would happen.

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